Shego Rocks!
by David Clark Allen
Summary: Complete.  What would happen if Shego were to ask Kim to help her start a new life at Middleton High?  Can Kim trust her?  Can Kim finally get together with the guy she truly loves?  Two love triangles and a heartrending finale.
1. Author's notes and teaser

Shego Rocks!

A fan fiction novel based upon the Disney Channel animated series _Kim Possible._

Summary: Complete. A funny, sweet and sad story about how Kim helps Shego start a new life as a student at Middleton High. Romance/drama.

Shego Rocks!

A fan fiction novel based upon the Disney Channel animated series _Kim Possible._

Author's note: the characters, the place names, and some of the terms and phrases in _Kim Possible_ are the property of Disney Television Animation. The author receives no compensation whatsoever for the existence of this story, and is interested only in paying tribute and offering free publicity to the original work which inspired it.

This story was written December 14, 2003 - April 25, 2004. Some of the story elements have been rendered "out of canon" by Kim Possible episodes that premiered after April, 2004. This edition presented May 27, 2004.

_For my very own blue fox of ten years,  
April 1994 - April 2004 . . .  
from the pink sloth. _

Shego Rocks!

_Still sitting upon the ground, Kim looked away, and her tears continued. "There is no me. Kim Possible is dead, and there's nothing left of her." _

_"Kim, don't talk like that-"_

_Kim turned to Ron suddenly. "What, are you going tell me I can do anything? That anything is possible for a Possible?" She brought her hands to her chin. "Well, take a good look at me now! See, this is what I do best! Absolutely nothing! Go, Ron. Take Rufus, and go back to your burritos and your video games and your life at Middleton High with Tara and Amelia and Zita . . . and forget about me . . . just leave me here . . ." _

_She glared hatefully at him for a moment as the rain and tears streamed down her face, and she buried her head in her arms again. "Just leave me here._


	2. Shego Rocks!  Act I, Chapter 1

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks!_

**Act I**

ONE

Night had fallen upon a private Caribbean island, where upon a mountaintop, a spy lurked the corridors of a secret hideaway. The spy, Kim Possible, was an attractive girl of seventeen; she sported a bright round face with large green eyes, and full-bodied and neatly shaped auburn hair. She slunk around the dark corners of the lair with the skill of a ninja. She dressed the part, too: she wore a black bare-midriff turtleneck, khaki cargo pants, and black stealth shoes.

Her best friend and mission assistant, Ron Stoppable, huddled next to her and then paused. He was an awkward, lanky boy of Kim's age, with brown eyes and semi-combed blond hair, and his mission outfit, though similar to Kim's, seemed rather baggy-looking on him by comparison. "Wait, Kim," he whispered, his voice quivering, "I think I hear someone coming." He began to panic. "It sounds like a monkey, K.P.! It sounds like a monkey!"

Kim rolled her eyes. "I sincerely doubt it's a monkey. Besides, I thought you were _over_ your monkey issues."

"Well, how sane would _you_ be, after sharing a cabin all summer with a wild chimpanzee?"

"That was years ago."

"Yeah, and he's probably gotten a lot bigger and craftier since then!" Ron shivered. His companion and pet naked mole rat, Rufus, whom he usually kept in his pants pocket, shuddered also.

Reaching into her backpack, Kim pulled out her Kimmunicator, a personal two-way television fashioned out of a handheld game case. She addressed the twelve-year-old super genius, Wade Load, who had built the device. "Hey, Wade."

"Kim, you're in the lair now? You're on the right track." Wade, the roly-poly black kid turned to the monitor in his fully-equipped computer lab, which also happened to be his bedroom. "My readings show you're getting very close to the stolen molecular bioelectrical converter."

She frowned. "We'd better hurry. That would be dangerous in the wrong hands." Kim reached behind her and pulled out an item from among an assortment of exotic equipment in her backpack.

Ron grinned. "Oh, cool! New weapon?"

"No. Just a hairbrush." Kim proceeded to preen her hair.

"You're fixing your hair, _now?_"

"Got to look my best while beating the wacko bad guys, you know."

"Got that brush at the Club Banana sale, I see."

"Okay, done." Putting her brush away, Kim looked intently down the cavern hallway. "Okay, when I give the signal--" She stopped suddenly, and turned back to Ron. "Wait, there's a sale at Club Banana?"

"Yep, the winter clothing's in stock now. The very latest fashions." He muttered to himself, "Three times what you'd pay for the same stuff at Smarty Mart."

Kim looked back out. "Okay, Ron, when I give the signal, we break for that stack of crates over there. We have to be quiet, though. All right, one . . . two . . . three."

"Uh, what's the signal, K.P.?"

Kim didn't answer, for she had already sprinted halfway across the chamber. Ron followed in hot pursuit. When he reached the stack of crates, he stumbled, and he grabbed onto Kim for support. They fell to the floor and rolled, face-to-face, clinging to one another. When they came to a stop, they found they were side-by-side, embracing.

Kim didn't flinch at their proximity, but she gave Ron a funny look. "Ron," she whispered, "you are such a goofball." She gave Ron a friendly punch, and then sat up slowly. "Now, shush. Let's see who's over there."

As they stood up and peered over the crates, their eyes widened. "Oh! It's Shego." Kim had many powerful and sinister archenemies, but one stood out among the others. That was Shego.

Once a teen hero like Kim, Shego had turned evil and enlisted as assistant to the mad scientist, Doctor Drakken. She was a strikingly beautiful woman, slightly older than Kim. Svelte and athletic, she dressed in a tight-fitting green-and-black jumpsuit, which matched her dark green eyes and her knee-length black hair, and her features included a classic Gothic look of pale skin and black lips. Like Kim, Shego possessed an unquenchable thirst for chic Club Banana style, even though her business with Drakken prevented her from wearing her favorite styles. A brilliant evil mastermind in her own right, Shego matched Kim's martial arts skills; this, combined with her sharp clawed gloves, rendered Shego a particularly dangerous combatant.

Kim whispered to Ron, "Someone else is coming." They stared as Doctor Drakken followed Shego into the chamber.

Doctor Ubel Drakken was a tall and robust middle-aged man. He wore a suit of blue laboratory attire, including a deep blue overcoat and black laboratory gloves. The man had receding black hair that was pulled back into a short ponytail. He had huge jowls, and a scar appeared from under his left eye and stretched halfway across his pale, blue face.

Drakken fumed as he carried a strange electronic device in his hands. "Well, we _finally_ got the molecular bioelectrical converter, Shego. Took us forever to find it so we could steal it."

Shego shrugged. "Hey, not my fault. If you had stopped for directions like I had asked, we would have been there a lot sooner."

Drakken rolled his eyes, mimicking Shego.

Shego frowned. "Look, can we get it started before you-know-who comes around?"

Drakken grinned evilly. "Ooh . . . yes, yes, yes. I can't wait!" He hugged the device and hummed.

Kim leapt over the stack of crates, somersaulting twice in the air, and landing directly behind Drakken and Shego. She eyed them sternly. "You know, it is such a shame you won't have a chance to use it, Drakken."

Drakken whipped around. "Kim Possible! What are _you_ doing here?"

Shego sighed, and glowered at him. "Surprise, surprise."

Drakken snickered and ran to a control panel upon the chamber wall. "Surprise, surprise, indeed!" He yanked a long, black lever, and the floor gave way under Kim, Ron, and Rufus. The teen heroes fell into a deep pit--a large tank filled with seawater and hungry sharks. A railing barrier shunted up along the perimeter of the chasm. As she fell, Kim grabbed the nearest thing: a thick utility rope that dangled from the lair's ceiling. She held fast to the rope and, with her free hand, she grabbed Ron by his collar. His fall broke just a foot above the water's surface, but all of the contents of Kim's backpack fell into the water.

Ron shrieked. "Aiya! Sharks!" Looking about him, he saw his pet was missing. "Rufus! Rufus! Where are you?" He looked down, and discovered Rufus clinging to his shoelaces. The mole rat climbed up Ron's leg, and took refuge in his pocket.

Kim pulled Ron up to her level, and he hugged the rope. She sighed. "Now, this has me worried."

Ron looked at Kim. "You? Worried? Not that you don't have a good reason."

"I know. If we have to stay here much longer, I won't have any time to finish my civics paper. It's due tomorrow."

"Uh, K.P., focus! Those aren't exactly goldfish down there!"

Kim saw that all of her equipment, including her Kimmunicator, was missing. She sighed. "Well, it looks like I don't have anything to tame the goldfish."

"Don't you have a lipstick elastic thingy in your pocket? Anything?" Ron was beginning to panic.

Kim looked sheepish. "Actually, I'm fresh out of gadgets. We're just going to have to make a swim for it."

Leaning over the railing, Drakken looked down at them and gloated. "Well, well, well. Kim Possible and the buffoon, finally at my mercy. Shall I tell them my plan, Shego?"

Shego rolled her eyes. "If I said no, would that stop you?"

Drakken held the stolen gadget proudly. "Ah, but this will bring me my moment of triumph, by wreaking havoc on the entire planet."

Ron looked up. "What does that thing do, anyway?"

"It does . . . it does . . . oh, never mind! It makes lots of bioelectrical thingies. That's not important. What _is_ important, is that the whole earth will be overrun with them. And everyone will bow down to my command!" Drakken laughed menacingly. "But first, I have to dispose of you. Shego, they're all yours."

Shego leaned over the railing to gloat at them, and she spoke in mocking tones. "Ooh, I like that little slogan of yours, Kimmie. 'Kim Possible: she can do anything.' Yeah, including looking like a fashion _don't_ when becoming fish food with her friend."

Ron screamed. "Ahh! Can't the fishies just skip lunch today?"

Upon hearing Ron's exclamation, Shego just flashed a haughty grin at them. "Now, I wouldn't want the poor sharks to go hungry, would I?"

Kim frowned. "How compassionate. Typical of you, Shego."

"Hey--what can I say, Kimmie? I was born to be evil. Are you so naïve as to think I'd ever be different?"

Kim continued to scowl. "Well, you _were_ different, once. The world would be a lot better off if you went back, that's for sure."

Drakken gritted his teeth. "Enough chitchat. Now finish them, Shego!"

"My pleasure."

Shego grinned with satisfaction and slashed at the rope with her clawed gloves. Strand by strand, the rope began to fray. Drakken rubbed his hands, gloating at his triumph. Four strands remained. Then three. Then two.

Shego paused briefly to get a last look at her old enemies. Ron was yelling and kicking his feet wildly, and Rufus stood atop Ron's head, chattering in alarm.

Kim merely gazed at Shego with calm defiance. "You were just like me once, Shego. Just think about it."

Shego dropped her smile and paused momentarily. Then, she turned and determinedly slashed at the last thread, but she missed the rope completely and lost her balance. She grabbed onto a large black lever that stuck out of the floor and held fast to it as she stumbled to the ground. Shego then heard a strange noise. "Uh, what was that?"

In a flash, the entire chasm drained, sharks and all, with a sound like a giant toilet flushing. Within seconds, all that remained of the pool was a damp stone floor. The last thread of the rope snapped, and Kim, Ron, and Rufus fell harmlessly into the empty pit. They, as well as Drakken and Shego, stared, amazed at what had just happened.

Drakken growled at his assistant. "Shego!"

She frowned back at him and threw up her hands. "Look, it was an accident, okay?"

"Well, don't just stand there. After them!"

"All right, all right," Shego muttered to herself, "Sheesh, some people are so crabby today." She then lifted her hands briefly, and they ignited like a pair of green blazing torches--Shego's trademark characteristic--with mysterious plasma energy. She bounded down into the pit and hurled green fireballs at Kim.

Kim avoided the fireballs by bounding off the wall with a back handspring--one of several moves she learned from cheerleading experience. "Come on, Ron!"

She grabbed the severed utility rope, knotted it into a lasso, and swung the free end over the railing of the pit. Swinging upon the rope, Kim knocked Shego over with a swift kick, then scooped up Ron and Rufus. Their momentum carried them up and out of the pit, and in a single motion, Kim snatched the molecular bioelectrical converter out of Drakken's hands and ran to the side of the chamber. A helicopter dropped a rope ladder through the large hole in the ceiling, and Kim, Ron, and Rufus grabbed onto it. Before Drakken or Shego could even react, the helicopter lifted the three heroes out of the building.

Shego knelt in the pit, looking up grimly to the redheaded heroine as she faded from sight. Kim Possible had beaten her _again_.

Drakken cried in anguish. "No, no, no, no, no! They got away! They got away!" He fell over, bawling, and pounded his fists into the ground. "And with the molecular bioelectrical converter, too! I was supposed to have fun! I was supposed to have fun!"

Shego climbed out of the pit, approaching him gingerly. "Uh, Doctor D, would you feel better if I got you an ice cream cone?"

He stopped crying and looked up to her expectantly. "Chocolate mint?"

"So, run that by me one more time: this new grand scheme to take over the world?" Shego sat in the shadows, mindlessly filing the tips of her clawed gloves, and she paused to inspect her handiwork. Her voice faintly resonated throughout the evil hideaway, a space so cavernous it dwarfed the two within it. She sighed deeply, for she was growing tired of Kim Possible defeating them, over and over.

Finishing the last of his chocolate mint ice cream cone, Drakken paced some ten meters away. He wiped his mouth, turned towards her, and rubbed his hands. "Oh, Shego, it's just glorious. We go get a death-ray . . ."

Shego just rolled her eyes, for she had heard this idea countless times. "Lame!"

He stopped cold, and blinked. "Uh, Shego? I was saying, we go get a death-ray . . ."

"Lame!"

"What?"

She scowled. "Death-ray? Come on. Like we haven't tried that a hundred times already."

Drakken threw up his hands, and vented. "Fine! Whatever. So, we go get a shrinking machine . . ."

"Lame!"

"We go get . . ."

"Lame!"

"We go . . ."

"Lame!"

"We--"

"Lame!"

"Now Shego, cupcake, you've got to hear me out on this one . . ."

"I'm not listening to this!"

"But it--"

"I'm not listening!"

"But--"

Shego plugged her ears with her fingers, and began singing in monotone. "La, la, la, la. La, la, la, la, la, la."

When he saw Shego stopping her ears, Dr. Drakken snickered. "Yes, you worship the very earth I walk on, don't you, Shego?"

Sensing Doctor Drakken's comment, she shot him an ugly scowl.

"Shego, all of my plans have been brilliant. But it turned out somebody always got in the way . . ."

The two spoke in unison: "Kim Possible."

"If it weren't for Kim Possible, I'd be King of the World right now." Drakken paced again. "But I can't think of any way to overcome her. We've tried everything, haven't we?"

Shego looked up to him and frowned. "_We?_" She resumed filing the fingertips of her gloves.

"For two straight years, she has denied me my rightful place as Master of the Universe. We've tried to melt her, crush her, and drown her. We've tried to make her disappear. My Bebe robots couldn't destroy her. And then there's you, Shego. She just dodges your fireballs like you're pitching in slow motion!" He stared at her blankly. "Are you even listening to any of this?"

Shego stared at her gloves. "Oh please, don't stop. Your ranting is the most _fascinating_ thing I could ever listen to." She then returned to filing her claws.

Drakken's expression brightened. "Ah! We could do something to the buffoon."

"Nice try. But in order to get to Stoppable or Kimmie's family, you'd have to get by Kimmie."

"How about if I get a time machine, go back to her past--say, her first day in pre-K--and crush her spirit?"

"Oh, right. You couldn't crush the spirit of an amoeba. Bet if you tried to outfight or outwit Kimmie--even as a preschooler--you'd just get your butt kicked." Shego thought for a moment. "Hmm . . . crush her spirit. I'd love to see that. But _you_ could never make it happen."

Thrusting his hands behind his back, Drakken walked in circles. "I can't believe I'm out of ideas. I'm the world's greatest evil genius, and I can't think of anything else to do. Brains can't beat her intelligence. Brawn can't beat her strength." He threw up his hands. "What else is left?"

"Hmm. You? Brawn, _maybe_. As for brains, well, that's another story."

"All right, smarty-pants, do you think _you_ could come up with a better plan?"

"I might, at that." Shego stood up. "Two years of failure is not exactly a stellar track record. Everything we've done so far has been, well, maybe a tad predictable. And Kimmie and her idiot sidekick have been able to sniff out everything we've come up with. We've got to do something completely new, something that Kimmie would never expect. Something that doesn't involve weapons, martial arts, poison, or newfangled gadgets . . . we've run the gamut with all that." She sighed. "We're at a fork in the road, doc. If we can't go after her with anything new, then maybe it's time to throw up our hands and give up. Even you and I were a couple of straight shooters once, a long time ago. I wonder what it would be like to go back to that?"

To Dr. Drakken, her last suggestion was unthinkable, and he stood there, stunned. "Y-you mean, no more life of crime?" He looked as though he were about to cry. "You mean, I actually have to become an honest man? Shego! What's gotten into you?"

"You think I like the idea of going back? Back to my _stupid_ old life, and my _stupid_ old place, with my _stupid_ old brothers?" She sighed. "I don't know. But I'm at the point now where I'm ready to say, 'Can we finally just dispose of the girl? Like, how hard can that be?'" She shrugged. "Maybe there is no answer. But I do know this: either we find something completely new to do against the girl . . ." Shego looked out the small window of the lair. "Or we might as well just give up, and live new lives--as a couple of dopey normal people."


	3. Shego Rocks!  Act I, Chapter 2

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks!_

TWO

Kim and Ron made their way to their favorite hangout, Bueno Nacho, after they had finished school and cheerleading practice. It was a typical autumn school day; for the two, this would be their final autumn at Middleton High School.

Not only did Kim and Ron go on world-saving missions together, they were best friends--as they had been since they first met in preschool. They were so inseparable, rumors began to circulate that they were a couple--a misunderstanding that prompted Ron to announce publicly, "Contrary to popular belief, I am not dating Kim Possible." However, they never became romantically involved, even though they had gone out a thousand times on what a casual observer would consider a "date." Kim and Ron had just considered the occasions to be "hanging out together."

As they walked, Ron realized he had forgotten to tell Kim something he considered very important, and was eager to unload it upon her now. "K.P.! I had the weirdest dream last night!"

Kim cracked a smile. "Don't tell me. A nightmare about monkeys, again."

"No, no. Not monkeys. I dreamt we were supposed to go on some mission to stop Drakken and Shego on a spaceship. But we were shopping at Club Banana when Wade called us, and we were ferociously unprepared. So you grabbed what you could . . . and we flew off and landed on Drakken's ship. And I saw you standing there, wearing a fisherman's suit, and a fishbowl on your head, and you were holding a leaf blower. And Drakken and Shego made fun of your clothes. Crazy dream, huh? What do you think it means?"

Kim puffed her cheeks out. "I think it means you're spending way too much time playing Internet games. They're starting to melt your mind."

"Nah, those games are bon-diggity. You've just got to come over tonight and try this one game, it's called Card Cl--"

"I'll have to pass on it tonight, Ron. Maybe I'll have more time after our English test tomorrow."

Ron froze. "English test? Tomorrow?"

"Uh . . . _yeah!_ You _are_ up to speed on _Othello_, aren't you?"

"Natch! Played it a zillion times on the 'puter."

Stopping abruptly, Kim scowled at him. "_Shakespeare_, Ron. Shakespeare's _Othello_. What do you think of Iago?"

"He's the parrot dude in _Aladdin_, right?"

"You didn't read _Othello_, did you?"

"Not one word. I can always pick up a copy of _Clint's Cheater Notes_ . . . uh, but seeing as I only have a few hours, that won't help much, either." Ron kicked a can in his path. "Aw, that's totally bunk! I wish I were more like you. You're always on top of things. Would you please help me out, K.P.?"

"Okay, okay, you can come over tonight to study with me, but you'd better burn the midnight oil with your books tonight, or else you're going to get another 'F.' I'll tell you the condensed version now, if you're interested."

"All right, I'm listening."

"It takes place in Renaissance Venice. A highly respected leader, Othello, takes Iago in as his most trusted friend--"

"And so when Iago becomes his friend, everything turns out spankin', right?"

"So _not!_ Iago was actually sent by Othello's enemy, Roderigo. Iago finds ways to get Othello to go mad with jealousy, and he ruins Othello's life!"

"Ow, that's harsh. Sounds like Iago is a clever little twerp."

"Got that right. Little by little, Othello goes berserk, and ends up losing everything. He kills his wife, he kills himself--"

Ron winced. "Eww, like, rack up the body count!"

From within Ron's pocket, Rufus cringed, too. "Eww!"

Kim nodded. "I know, and it's all very sad at the end. What's more, Othello doesn't even realize he's being manipulated until it's too late. You have _so_ got to read the play, Ron."

She stopped suddenly.

Ron stared at her. "What up, K.P.?"

When he didn't receive an answer, he noticed that Kim had fixed her gaze across the street. Ron looked to where she stared, and he recognized their fellow classmate. He was tall and lean, with classic good looks. His brown hair was clipped short around the sides, and the top of his hair was dyed blond and gelled into soft spikes, in an overall neatly sculpted look. He wore a stylish blue-and-white cardigan and designer jeans.

Rufus glared at the person across the street. "Yecch! Mankey!"

Ron nodded. "Ah, Josh Mankey. Haven't seen him in ages. I remember you were once so crushing on him. And . . . K.P.?" He cleared his throat. "K.P.?"

Kim continued to gawk. She hunched over slightly, and she wore a sweet grin and a dreamy expression on her face. Ron finally got her attention, and she snapped out of her state. "Uh, sorry, Ron. You were saying?"

Ron scowled. "This is like, totally déjà vu all over again. Why don't you just go over to him, and say 'hi'?"

Kim gritted her teeth dejectedly. "Oh, I don't know. He doesn't talk to me anymore. He probably doesn't even remember me."

"Well, I'll just bring him over _here_." He started calling across the street. "Hey, Josh! There's someone over here who wants to talk to you--ulp!"

Kim abruptly tackled Ron, and she wrapped her hands tightly over his mouth. She lowered her voice. "Ron, if you want to live to see your next birthday, you'd better not try that again."

"Okay. But boy, for someone who likes Mankey so much, you sure spend a lot of energy avoiding him."

"Just stay cool until the homecoming dance, okay? I've got it all worked out. If he wins Homecoming King, and I'm lucky enough to win Queen, then we'll be together for the whole night at the dance."

At Bueno Nacho, Kim and Ron sat at their usual table while Kim studied her Shakespeare textbook. She picked at a small plate of nachos, while Ron and Rufus gorged themselves with their typical fare of grande-sized chimiritos and burritos.

Kim gazed into the text. "I would never, ever go off the deep end like Othello. I don't think I've ever been jealous of anyone." She looked up. "Not even Bonnie Rockwaller. Well, not _that_ jealous, anyway."

"You, jealous?" Ron chortled between bites. "You've got no reason to be jealous of anything! Why, look at you! You're da bomb, Kim! You ace all your classes. You're cheerleader captain. You've got the coolest clothes! And in my humble opinion, you are much, much cuter than Bon-Bon. And nicer. You're a shoo-in for Homecoming Queen."

For almost a year now, everyone at Middleton High understood the next Homecoming Queen would be either Kim Possible or Bonnie Rockwaller. The homecoming election loomed near; in fact, the first ballot to determine the Homecoming finalists was scheduled for the following week. A second vote would follow soon afterwards, to select the King and Queen. And the Homecoming King and Queen traditionally went together to the formal dance.

Ron continued. "Oh, and did I mention you've only saved the world a few times?" Ron looked at his best friend intently. "None of the villains has beaten you. Ever!" He counted on his fingers. "Drakken, Shego, Monkey Fist, Duff Killigan . . . that Senior guy and his son, whose name escapes me . . ."

Kim looked up from her book briefly and chuckled in appreciation.

Ron gulped down another bite of his chimirito combo. "Every time they try something, you kick into action." He jumped to his feet, flexing his limbs in a series of monkey kung-fu motions. "With a yaaaooo . . . and a whooooop!" After throwing in some new moves and overextending himself, Ron ended up in a heap on the floor, red-faced, his limbs in a tangle. "At least I've got the yelling part right."

Ron got up and brushed himself off. "But you--you've got no weaknesses! They can't beat you! You're going to--" He spotted Kim's half-eaten plate of nachos. "Are you going to finish that?"

"Be my guest."

Ron sat back down, and finished Kim's plate. "Mmm . . . mmm . . . as I was saying, notice how quiet things have been lately? We haven't heard from the villains for a while. You know why that is?"

Kim shrugged.

"Don't be so modest, K.P.! It's all because of you! The villains know that every time they try something, you'll be right there to stop them! I'll bet they're even ready to quit their lives of crime."

Kim closed her book, looked up to him, and smiled. "Thanks, Ron, but it's no big. And I seriously doubt any of them are going to quit crime anytime soon. I can never let down my guard. I'm sure that even as we speak, they're trying to find new ways to beat me."

"Beat you? How can they ever beat you?"

Kim looked up, and tapped her chin. "I really don't know. But I have the feeling that something is going to happen, and very soon." She grinned. "And I know I'll be ready for it."

Kim thought she heard giggling from another part of the room. She looked over to see a number of Middleton High students at a table on the opposite side of the restaurant. Four girls--still in their Mad Dog cheerleader outfits--were seated around a table opposite them. Standing around the girls were three varsity jacket-clad boys, and the entire group appeared to be fawning over one of the cheerleaders.

Kim recognized the girl at the center of attention, and tried to look away before the other girl noticed her. Kim winced, because she knew that if detected, she would draw insults from the person. But it was too late, and the girl stared back at her. A hush fell over the restaurant, as everyone's attention focused on Kim.

"Hey, Kim!" the girl called. "Kim Possible!" the girl repeated, in a singsong tone. "Got your fan club with you, I see."

Kim frowned, rested her head in her hand, and grumbled under her breath, as she looked away. "Hello, Bonnie."

Bonnie Rockwaller strutted over to Kim. Bonnie had long been Kim's rival for leadership of the cheerleading squad, as well as her rival for Josh Mankey's affections. Bonnie was quite fashion-conscious, and determined to keep one step ahead of Kim in the latest styles. Bonnie flaunted her curvaceous figure, her perfect tan, her exquisitely styled brown hair, and her professionally manicured nails. She commonly wore her cheerleading outfit after hours, and she hung around with likewise-dressed girls and jock guys.

Bonnie stared down with her turquoise eyes. "Oh, this is so precious. It's Kim Possible, sitting with her one-point-one votes for Homecoming Queen. One vote from the Loser, and point-one vote from that freaky thing--the pink guinea pig."

Ron fumed. "Correction: the Loser and the _naked mole rat!_" He thought for a moment. "Wait a second . . ."

"Yeah, Loser! Lowerton Community College flunkee, if there ever was one. Me, I've already got my acceptance letter from Upperton U., and I'm being recruited by five sororities." Bonnie laughed at Kim again. "Oh, it's going to be such fun beating you in the election. That shouldn't be too hard, what with your loser friends and your loser clothes." She narrowed her eyes upon them. "And it would be just desserts, after the way you cheated in the talent show last year!"

Ron objected. "But we didn't cheat--"

Bonnie plopped herself down on the booth seat just behind Kim and turned around, prodding Kim verbally again. She smiled evilly. "Ooh, and wouldn't it just be sweet if Josh Mankey wins Homecoming King? I know I'll have the greatest time with him . . . and this time, you get to watch _me_ dance with him all night. That is, if you even have the nerve to show your face at the dance. I don't think you have the dignity."

Bonnie looked quizzically at Kim and Ron as they sat silently, odd expressions on their faces. "What's the deal? Why aren't you saying anything, Kim?"

Kim looked at her calmly. "Well, uh . . . someone left a plate of nachos on that seat, and the Bueno Nacho crew hadn't quite gotten around to cleaning up the table yet."

Aghast, Bonnie leaped to her feet, and looked behind her. A huge glob of liquid nacho cheese had smeared across her blue cheerleader miniskirt and panties. She fumed silently for a moment, and then ran out of the restaurant. Rufus spat raspberries in her direction.

Ron had to fight himself to keep from laughing. "Speaking of dignity! Now let's see who won't show her face at school tomorrow."

Kim shook her head. "Oh, she'll be back. Nothing could ever break Bonnie's spirit."

Ron smiled to her. "Nor yours, K.P. Am I right?"


	4. Shego Rocks!  Act I, Chapter 3

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks! _

THREE

After cheerleading practice and the obligatory trip with Ron to Bueno Nacho, it was nightfall by the time Kim returned home. The house--a contemporary bi-level home--was dark, and the minivan was gone from the driveway. Kim surmised that Mom and Dad had taken her twin brothers Jim and Tim out for pizza.

She entered her living room, guided by the pale moonlight shining through the window at the far side of the room. Heaving a sigh, Kim slid her backpack off her shoulders, climbed the dark stairway towards her bedroom, and turned on the light.

"Kim . . ."

Kim's blood froze as she sighted a shadow just a few feet away, off to her side. Then, from of the corner of her eye, she saw the form of an athletic, black-haired woman in a green-and-black jumpsuit, who sat on the edge of Kim's computer desk.

"Shego!" Kim shrieked, as she dove into a defensive position. "Shego! In my bedroom!"

"Kim, wait--"

Kim's reaction was instinctive and quick--almost involuntary. She lashed out furiously with a series of punches and kicks, as she battered relentlessly at her archenemy. But the black-haired vixen parried each of her strikes. Shego's opposition inflamed Kim, and so Kim fought with increasing ferocity. It was one thing for Shego to try to take over the world, but for her to invade Kim's personal chamber was _unforgivable!_

Kim swung and high-kicked viciously at Shego. As the other woman retreated, Kim knocked a basketball and teddy bear off of her headboard cabinet, overturned her telescope and cheerleading trophies, and scattered books, papers, and knickknacks across her floor, rendering her room a shambles. Kim finally stopped, and she breathed heavily as she fell back to her defensive stance. She narrowed her eyes, focusing them sharply upon her enemy.

Shego made it back to the large open window through which she had entered Kim's room. Shego herself sported a serious, determined look upon her face, and she gazed at the vast mess on the floor. "Oh, now this is good. Do you trash your room every time you have a visitor?"

"Isn't it a little rude for visitors to break into people's houses?"

"Hey, I just wanted to talk to you--one on one--and I didn't think you'd open my e-mails or take my phone calls, so cut me some slack." Shego tilted her head. "Okay? Truce, Kim?"

Kim, still winded from combat, merely flashed her teeth. "So, it's Kim, now? Whatever happened to 'Kimmie?' There's nothing to talk about. And where's Drakken? What are you two up to this time?" She suddenly got the eerie feeling she was being set up for a trap, and her eyes shifted about, expecting Doctor Drakken or a phalanx of henchmen to pop out of the wall, and overwhelm her.

Shego shook her head. "Drakken's not in this."

Kim was unimpressed, and she held her defensive attitude.

Shego looked at her intently. "Look, I know you can't trust me now, but I've left you a few peace offerings around here. Maybe that will get you to change your mind. Anyway, whenever you feel like talking, you'll know where to find me: Lair X-R. Just think about it for a while."

_Peace offerings. Yeah, right!_ Kim thought. _More likely, you've left me traps all over the house, you green snake._ Her gaze darted across the room, as she searched for something to use to catch Shego. She spied her grappling gun lying on the floor, next to her bed. Kim pounced on the gun, somersaulted once, and in an instant turned around and fired the grappling hook.

But when she looked up, she saw that Shego had disappeared, and that the grappling hook--along with the line--had sailed harmlessly out her open bedroom window. Muttering under her breath, she prepared to retract the line, when she heard a familiar voice below her window.

"A little help, K.P.? _Please?_"

"Ron?"

She squinted below, and saw that the grappling hook and line had wound tightly around her friend, and he dangled helplessly from the lowest branch of a tree. "Ron! What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was going to take you up on your offer to help me study for the Shakespeare exam, but I didn't know you were going to be practicing your grappling gun."

"Not practice. Shego was just here."

"Shego? In your house?"

"Hang in there. I'll pull you up in just a sec."

"Take your time. I really don't have anything _else_ to do at the moment. Hey, do you have Shego under control? Because I really can't help you too much right now."

"She got away."

"What did she want? Did she steal something?"

Kim helped Ron to the upper floor window and untangled the line from around his arms and body. "I don't know. All I can say is the meeting was totally freaky."

Ron stared at the mess in the room. "Well, it looks like you two had it out here. So, she attacked you?"

Kim knitted her eyebrows. Now that he mentioned it, Shego never attacked her at all. Shego had blocked Kim's punches, but she had never thrown any. And--even more odd--Kim faintly remembered that Shego's hands didn't glow green, as was usual when the two engaged in combat.

"What's more, and I hate to say this," Kim continued, "but Shego was sort of . . . well, polite. She actually called me 'Kim.' She just said she wanted to talk, just her and me."

"Shego, polite?" Ron shrugged. "That couldn't have been Shego, or else she's on some very strong medication today. Maybe it was an impostor? Maybe it was a robot? Maybe she finally let Drakken clone her?"

"It was the real Shego. I know her moves almost as well as my own, and trust me, it would take years for a substitute to learn her technique. It was _totally_ Shego. Except she never went on offense."

"I just thought of something. You told me about that Iago character. He was a villain too, right? Just think about it, Kim: _She_-go, _Ia_-go . . . coincidence? I think not. Hey, did Shakespeare ever mention anything about glowing hands?"

Kim looked at him coldly. "You are _so_ in need of a logic course." She took a moment to try to make sense of it all, when Ron's eye caught a glorious sight: a large cardboard box full of chimiritos, fresh from Bueno Nacho. The front of the box bore the inscription, "For Ron Stoppable," in bold letters.

He was ecstatic. "Boo-yah! A pile of chimiritos! And a _big_ pile of them! Let's dig in, Rufus!" They began to dash towards the stack.

Kim turned around suddenly. "Ron, _stop!_"

Ron froze in mid-step, startled. Rufus muttered a disappointed "Aww!"

Ron clenched his teeth. "What's wrong?"

"Shego must have left those! You think they're safe? _Not!_"

"Shego knows I like Bueno Nacho?"

"Ron, everyone from here to Sri Lanka knows you like Bueno Nacho." Kim looked over to the box of chimiritos again. "Bet you every one of those chimiritos and every packet of Diablo Sauce are contaminated with something lethal: cyanide, arsenic, nuclear waste . . . who knows? And every nook and cranny of my house can be a hiding place for a booby trap. Don't move a muscle."

Ron wrapped his arms around his head and whimpered in terror.

She clicked her Kimmunicator. "Hey, Wade. Interesting news. I just got a house call from Shego."

Wade looked stunned. "She breached your security? She must have cracked my code. Man. I totally dropped the ball on this one. No one was supposed to be able to get in . . . especially Shego."

"No big--I'm all right."

"What'd she do?" Wade asked.

"I don't know. It was bizarre, that's all I can say. I need you to scan the house."

"I'm on it." Wade turned aside to his computer and read from his monitor. "Well, outside the rocket fuel in your brothers' bedroom, there's nothing explosive or toxic in the house."

Kim was perplexed. "There's nothing in my room? What's the sitch with these chimiritos?"

"I'll have it in a second. Okay . . ." Grimacing, Wade stared at his computer screen. "Eww!"

"What?" Kim asked, expectantly.

Wade shrugged. "I didn't know they put _that_ in those things. It's gross, but it's not something that Drakken or Shego would concoct."

"So, the chimiritos are safe?"

"Well, not exactly. But if you're asking if they were tampered with by Shego, I'd say definitely not."

"You don't see _anything_ in the house?" Kim asked, incredulous.

"No, nothing's been altered. The wood, plaster, paint, windows, and roofing are all completely unchanged. Nobody's tampered with the electrical, heating, and plumbing systems. I've even done an infrared scan of the house, which shows everything Shego might have touched. There are some handprints on your windowsill and a number of footprints on your bedroom floor. But that's it. It's as though Shego broke into your house and then did absolutely nothing."

Kim was speechless, and she looked at Ron, mouth agape.

Ron scratched his head. "This is _so_ not like Shego. You know, Kim, maybe she told you the truth. Maybe we ought to find out what she wants."

Kim frowned and shook her head. "I don't trust Shego as far as you can throw. I still think she's up to something. What, I have no idea." She paced her bedroom floor, deep in thought.

Ron grinned. "Well, Wade said the chimiritos are safe. That's good enough for me! C'mon, Rufus. Let's chow down!"

Kim waved at them, and they stopped. "You can't eat them! They're evidence!"

Rufus groaned again.

Ron scowled. "Evidence of what?"

"Since when has Shego gotten anything, except through crime?"

Ron folded his arms, and harrumphed. "Good point. But my stomach is not liking this crime-fighting gig one bit, K.P. So, you think she hit Bueno Nacho?"

"Well, how else would she get them?"

Wade broke in. "No, guys . . . there's no report of any crime today at Bueno Nacho. In fact, the entire Tri-City area has been very quiet today. Nothing's been reported, aside from routine traffic violations."

"_What?_"

"I'm logging on to Bueno Nacho's cash register record, right now. Hmm . . ." Wade grabbed his paper cup and straw, and took a sip of cola as he glanced at his monitor. "Here it is. One hundred twenty chimiritos, purchased a little more than an hour ago. Customer paid cash."

"I don't believe it."

"Hey Kim, take a look at this!" Ron pointed out a young ladies' shirt and pants combination, brand new, folded neatly over the chair by Kim's computer.

"Wade?" Kim inquired.

"That's from Shego, too. But it checks out okay. Just ordinary clothes, nothing suspicious."

"Ordinary clothes, nothing!" she cried. "They're Club Banana exclusive label!" She picked them up, and cradled them in her arms. The combo included a luscious pair of white slacks and a matching yellow and green top, all pure silk. They were worth six months' allowance! Girls at Middleton High would melt with envy if they saw Kim in them. She gasped. "They're just golden! And exactly my size. Why would Shego leave these here?"

Before anyone could respond, a pink blur flashed under Kim's elbow. Rufus dashed over to a corner next to Kim's closet and began dancing joyfully. "Cheese!"

Ron looked over to Rufus, and smiled. A five-pound block of aged sharp cheddar lay upon a plate in the corner, next to Kim's closet. Ron read the label. "Wow . . . imported from Wisconsin." He turned to Kim. "Shego left each of us our very favorite things. It's like she's giving us gifts."

Kim scowled. "_Gifts?_ For each of us? This is _so_ not normal."

Ron smirked. "What did I tell you? Shego's throwing in the towel, and she wants to talk to you about her terms of surrender."

Kim folded her arms, leaning against her closet doorway. "She's not surrendering. She's after something. Or she's trying to mess with my head, or something."

"Oh, come on, Kim! She left you that cool outfit, she left me chimiritos, and she left Rufus that block of cheese. And--I might add--she did all this without so much as writing a hot check. She's even stopped calling you 'Kimmie!'"

"_Ron_. Hello? Are we on the same page here? We're talking _Shego_. Works for Drakken, tried to kill us a few times . . . remember?"

Ron shrugged. "I don't know. I think Shego just needs a place to belong."

"Yeah, she belongs in a nice place like prison."

"Talk to her, Kim. Just go talk to her. What have we got to lose? She might be about to give up her life of crime."

Shaking her head, Kim frowned. "Something about this doesn't seem right. Maybe because it's so sudden. But it feels like I'm being set up for a trap."

"Hey, when you go talk to her, me and Rufus will back you up. And I'll have Wade beam us your coordinates. If anything goes wrong, we'll have fifty Global Justice SWAT troops in Shego's lair in ten seconds flat. Where is she?"

"She told me she would be in lair X-R. It's a cavern only seven miles northeast of here, just outside of Upperton Farms. Don't know if you remember, but Drakken planned to use it around a year ago as a refueling station. Well, we got rid of his squadron of doomsday planes, and so the place has since been abandoned. At least, until now." She turned to her Kimmunicator again. "Wade, would you please check the status of Lair X-R? And can you tell if Drakken or Shego are there?"

Wade shrugged. "It looks empty, Kim. It's powering only ten amps, so I seriously doubt anything big is going down. There's no sign of Drakken, but I do detect Shego's signal. It's very strong. She's in there, all right."

Kim covered her mouth with her hand as she paused, deep in thought. "Okay. We'll go, first thing after school tomorrow." She sighed. "And I hope I don't live to regret this."


	5. Shego Rocks!  Act I, Chapter 4

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks!_

FOUR

After school the following day, Kim insisted she and Ron dress in their mission gear, and that they be fully equipped in case of sudden trouble.

They easily covered the distance to Lair X-R with jetpacks, and the two landed about two hundred yards from the cavern. Kim retracted her jetpack's wings and took off her helmet. "Try to be careful, Ron," she admonished. "Watch for mines. And infrared sensor beams are all over the place here." She gripped her Kimmunicator. "Okay, Wade. Ready for you to show me the beams."

Kim watched her mini-screen as Wade typed on his keyboard and stared at his monitor. Wade tapped his chin, puzzled, and then typed energetically again.

Wade shrugged. "There's nothing there."

"What do you mean, there's nothing? There has to be some sort of defense system in place."

"No. There are no beams this time. No mines. No traps of any kind."

"What about guns?"

"Well, if there _are_ guns, there's no one around to fire them. And there aren't any robots. Like I said, there's barely enough power in the whole place to run a hair dryer. The only thing I detect is Shego, and she's inside the lair."

"So, we're just supposed to waltz in," Kim said, frowning. "How convenient. I still think we should watch our backs, guys. Be on your guard for _anything_."

They crept towards the rock-covered hill. As they neared the cavern entrance, they heard engine noises overhead. As they heard the noise grow louder, they shielded the sun away from their eyes with their hands, and looked into the sky. Six large military helicopters hovered above them, out of which several dozen paratroopers bailed out. Within seconds, colorful parachutes filled the air, and the troops began to land a few hundred yards to the southeast.

Wade spotted them on his scanner. "That's G.J., Kim. They're fully armed and ready to help, if needed."

"Good," Kim replied. "Tell them to remain on alert but not to go in or do anything unless they hear from us."

Kim and Ron walked a little further, until they were upon the lair's entrance. A large steel door barricaded the cavern entry. A small sign hanging on the front of the door read: "No peddlers or solicitors."

"Where are the door handles on these things?" Ron complained. He looked below the sign to a printed note, which read, 'Kim Possible only. All others go away. That means you, Stoppable.'

He sighed. "Not invited. Sounds like a typical party invite from most of our classmates."

Kim put her hand on his shoulder. "You hang with G.J., Ron. I'm going in there. Wish me luck." Kim high-kicked the metal door, and it yawned and fell to the ground, amid a loud thud. "Wait here. If you don't hear from me in five minutes, take the team in immediately."

Kim stepped inside. Typical of a lair where she might find Shego, the space within was large and cavernous; it was a great airplane hangar with concrete slab floor and rock walls. No equipment was visible, save for a tiny water closet embedded within the side wall, and a quaint kitchenette at the far end with a short counter, a two-element cook top, and a wet bar. Beside the kitchenette sat a couple of red easy chairs with a coffee table situated between them, upon which Kim saw various magazines and books scattered about. Two tall halogen lamps stood behind the chairs. As Kim inched forward, she could see Shego sitting in one of the chairs, calmly filing the tips of her gloves.

Kim stopped a few feet away from the coffee table. She frowned at Shego and clenched her fists tightly at her sides. "You said you wanted to talk. Okay, let's talk."

Shego stroked her file twice more, blew on her hands, and checked her manicure a final time before tossing the file upon the table. "Nice. But there's one thing you've got to do first."

Kim scowled and folded her arms. "And what is that?"

Shego pointed to a small electronic device stationed on the counter of the kitchenette. "See that red light thingy? I think _somebody_ in here is wired, and I know it isn't me. So before we talk, you have to shut off all your microphones and anything else that can pick up my voice. Your sidekick and all your other friends can stick around by the door, but what I have to say is for you only."

Kim frowned, but she slowly shut off all listening devices attached to her body.

"Your nerdicator thing, too."

Reluctantly, Kim clicked her Kimmunicator off and pocketed it. The light on Shego's gadget shifted from red to green.

Shego grinned. "Thanks, that's better. Relax, have a seat, kick your shoes off . . . yada, yada, yada."

Kim sat cautiously in one of the easy chairs, while she eyed the lair in every direction. She fully expected a nasty surprise to spring upon her. "There's a SWAT team outside, so I wouldn't try anything."

Shego waved one hand as she walked away from Kim. "Fine, fine, whatever. They can hang around. As long as they stay outside while we talk." The black-haired woman went over to the wet bar in the kitchenette, and opened what appeared to be the door to a compact refrigerator. "Pop?" she offered.

"No, thank you," Kim said, curtly. Shego's seemingly false cordiality was really beginning to grate on her.

Shego returned and sat in the other chair a few feet across from Kim. She was relaxed and smiling. "I'm really glad you came. I was beginning to think--"

Kim cut her off. "Enough with the nice-nice games, Shego. Just what exactly do you want?"

Shego shrugged. "It's no game, Kim. Take a chill pill. I'm not attacking you now, right?"

"So you're going to surrender?"

"Surrender? You kidding? Trust me, I am _not_ going to prison. I always escape, anyway. No, I thought maybe you and I could reach some sort of compromise."

Kim lifted one eyebrow.

"Like I said, I always escape whenever I'm penned up." Shego shook her head. "Yet every time Drakken and I have tried to take over the world, you have beaten us, and . . . shamefully, you usually have captured me. I don't know how you do it--I'm a far better fighter than you--but you pull off a win every time."

Kim shrugged. She had no idea what Shego was driving at.

Shego leaned over towards her. "Look, what I'm saying is, I've gotten tired of the endless vicious circle." She lowered her voice. "I'm about to make a huge change. I've decided . . . I want out. Not do the take-over-the-world thing anymore. I'm about to end my days as a villain. But only if you'll do me one small favor."

"What is that?"

"That you help me start over from scratch. That you help me start a new life."

Kim frowned. Was Ron right, after all? She folded her arms in front of her chest again. "How do you mean, for me to help you start a new life?"

"I want a fresh start, but in complete freedom and anonymity. I'll need a whole new look and a new identity, so that I can go on without the cops or Global Justice always on my tail. And without being pestered by my dopey brothers. I'm asking you because you're the only one who can help me pull this off."

Kim paused, and looked at her with a sour expression. "And what if I said no, Shego?"

Shego stood up, walked away from Kim, and shrugged. "Suit yourself. But if that's the case, we'll keep going, round and round, the way we've been going for the past three years. You catch me; I escape. You catch me; I escape . . . over and over, forever and ever. Don't you think it's about time we got off this merry-go-round?"

Kim reflected on Shego's question for a while, and she slumped back in her chair. "Yeah," she finally admitted. "I _am_ kind of getting tired of it, too." She gazed over to Shego. "What about Drakken?"

"Oh, Drakken, Drakken!" Shego fumed. "Who cares about Drakken? You can deal with him on your own time. But I'm giving you an opportunity here: for you to see me off to a new start, as a normal person. Take my offer, or else I'm out of here, and I'll just go back to Doctor D. Even as we speak, he's probably cooking up something to use against you. Would you rather deal with just him, or both of us?" She turned, faced Kim, and folded her arms.

The redheaded young woman sighed. "What do you want me to do? You want me to get you an application for Smarty Mart?"

"Pfft! No. I need to stick pretty close to you, and keep a low profile . . . you know, in case something happens. You know Global Justice can get pretty nosey at times."

"Yes."

"So, I want to start my new existence as a student at Middleton High School."

Kim's eyes grew wide. "Aren't you a little old for high school?"

"Maybe. But I'm sure with the right clothes and makeup, I could blend in." She looked at Kim intently. "So, you'll do it?"

Kim rolled her eyes. _Shego, my classmate? This is so beyond weird._ "Been there, done that, Shego. And my first trip down that road--hiding someone at Middleton High--was no fun. It was Prince Wally of a tiny country no one's ever heard of. I am not about to have my family wait on you hand and foot, like they did for him."

"No, I am quite capable of taking care of myself, thank you."

Kim squinted at Shego. "This isn't some trick, is it? I mean, you're not going to my school so that you can sneak an attack on me, or Ron, or some of my other friends?"

"I swear, I swear . . . I'm not plotting to attack you or anyone else. In fact, I'm not going to use my glowing hands anymore. Unless, of course, I am attacked and have to defend myself."

"Good, because I'll be watching your every move. And you are not to help Drakken or any other criminal. Understood? If you try anything, or if I so much as see you light up your hands even once--"

"Don't worry. I'll be a little angel. There may even be a time when I'll be around to help _you_."

Kim leered suspiciously at Shego for what must have been two full minutes. Finally, Kim clicked on her Kimmunicator. "Wade? Wade, tell Global Justice they can return to base . . . this was a false alarm. Tell them Shego was here, but she escaped."

"Gotcha, Kim. Will do. Shall I tell Ron to wait for you at home?"

"Please and thank you. Talk to you again when I get to my place. Thanks again, Wade."

When Kim turned her device off, Shego heaved a faint sigh of relief. "You don't know how much this means to me."

Kim deadpanned. "The jury's still out on this one, Shego. I'm giving you just one chance, and that's it. If I see you do one little thing that seems fishy, then the deal's off."

"I hear you."

Shego's soft answer threw Kim off. "You don't sound like yourself at all, Shego. Has something happened to you lately? Or are you under some sort of mind control?"

"What, would you rather I go back to, 'Ha ha, Kimmie the fashion loser, your clothes are just so _lame-o!_' I can still talk like that to you, if that's what you want. Hmm?"

"No, I guess not." Kim looked her over. "Now, speaking of clothes, there's one thing you have to do first, Shego. You have to change. I can't explain why, but trust me on this."

"Global Justice can track me in my jumpsuit, right?"

Kim blinked. "How did you know?"

"Lucky guess."

Kim slipped her pack from her back, and pulled out a spare set of mission clothes. "Here, you can wear these."

Shego rolled her eyes. "Oh, I thought you hated me before, but now I'm thoroughly convinced of it."

Kim sighed at the gibe. "Don't worry, it's just 'till we get to Middleton. When we get to my place, I'll have something else for you to wear."

"Ugh. And _that_ would be an improvement?"


	6. Shego Rocks!  Act I, Chapter 5

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks!_

FIVE

Ron looked bored as he sat waiting on Kim's front porch. But when he saw Kim and Shego arrive together, he perked up and smiled broadly, for he figured he had guessed correctly about Shego.

Kim put her index finger to her lips, gesturing for Ron to stay quiet. "Hey, Ron, cover for me. I'm going to try to sneak Shego inside with out the 'rents seeing her."

Getting Shego into the house unnoticed would be quite a challenge, for Kim's parents were hardly unobservant or unintelligent. Kim's father was a renowned astrophysicist, and her mother the head of the neurosurgery unit at Middleton Hospital; in short, Kim was the offspring of a rocket scientist and a brain surgeon.

Ron nodded to Kim. "Gotcha, K.P." He went in ahead of her into the living room, where Kim's dad was relaxing with the day's edition of _The Examiner_. Ron looked over and saw that Kim's mom was back in the kitchen, fixing the twins a snack. "Hey, Doctor P." He waved to see if he could catch the father's attention, but Kim's dad appeared to be too involved with his reading. When Ron determined that the coast was clear, he motioned to Kim. The two young women crept ever so quietly through the room, behind Kim's father.

"Oh hi, Kimmie. Hi, Kim's new friend." Dr. Possible's eyes had never strayed from the newspaper.

Ron scratched his head: how did he know they were here? Kim Possible and Shego were as quiet as the best ninjas on the planet.

"I'm a parent," Kim's father explained.

"Maybe Kim's friend would like some apple pie?" Kim's mom offered.

Shego stopped and blushed. "Well, uh . . . sure," she said. Shego whispered to Kim, "Your crazy clothes, and now this? What are you doing to me? Too many carbs!" Shego groaned as she turned and followed Kim's mother to the dining table.

Jim popped his head out the kitchen doorway. "Shego's here? And Kim's not fighting her?" He then turned to his brother. "You owe me a buck."

Kim led Ron upstairs to her bedroom, where she convened a private meeting with herself, Ron, and Rufus. Wade participated, too, via Kim's desktop computer.

"Okay, here's the sitch . . . this may freak you guys out, but I'm going to help Shego. Don't ask me why; I must be out of my mind. But she says she's not with Drakken anymore, and she wants to get a new identity and become a student at school with us. She promised not to commit any more crime. What do you guys think?"

Ron smiled. "Freak me out? No way! This is totally badical! It'll be one less villain we have to deal with. And Shego will make the coolest student!"

Rufus grinned and squeaked, "Cool!"

Ron's face lit up. "Ooh. And with a whole new identity! That rocks. Hey, it'll be like Prince Wally all over again!" Ron added.

"Peachy," Kim said sourly. "Prince Wally was just a scream. You do realize, Ron, that unlike Shego, Prince Wally was not wanted in eleven countries. And Prince Wally was not a ninja, capable of sneaking up on us with a deadly weapon."

"I still think Shego's changed. Think of all the stuff she gave us yesterday. And remember your motto: 'Anything is possible for a Possible.' You can do _anything_, K.P., including help turn Shego into a good person. Count me as one 'yea' vote for Shego."

Rufus scowled at him.

"Uh, make that two 'yea' votes for Shego."

Kim turned to the computer monitor. "What do you think, Wade?"

Wade shrugged. "It's your call, Kim. I trust your judgment. You've always been one to know what you were doing."

Kim folded her arms, and looked at all of them together. "Okay, okay. So we're going to do it. Remember, we're in this together. And not a word of this gets out to _anyone_ . . . especially Middleton P.D. and Global Justice. Wade, I need you to scour for every piece of data that's out there on Shego. I'll get back with you about what to do with the info."

Wade acknowledged. "I'm on it, Kim. Talk to you later."

Kim put her computer to sleep and then led Ron downstairs to where Shego waited. Shego had finished a small slice of pie and retired to the study. She sat in a reclining chair, working on her nails.

"Okay," Kim announced to Shego, "we've got the ball rolling for you. We'll see you tomorrow."

Ron intervened. "Kim, we can't just boot her into the street. She's our guest. We ought to at least put her up for the night somewhere."

Kim stared at him, appalled. "_What?_"

Shego shrugged. "Money's no prob' for me, so I can lease an apartment tomorrow. And I can get a motel room tonight--"

Ron scowled. "That's what I mean, K.P. We're not going to force her to sleep in a cheap motel room. She should stay with us."

"Oh, I'm sure your mom and dad would love having a strange girl spend the night over at your place," Kim said sarcastically.

"No, but she can spend the night _here_." Ron's face brightened. "Oh, cool! You and Shego can have a sleepover. Rent some DVDs, pop popcorn, tell ghost stories--"

Shego grinned. "Yeah, and I can redo Kim's makeup so her colors actually match her outfit."

Kim rubbed her temples with her fingertips. "This is _so_ wrong. Shego can't spend the night! Does it even faze you that keeping her here--while she's a fugitive--is sort of against the law?"

Ron gave a pitying look. "Oh, but Kim, look at her. She looks so sweet and innocent now. Isn't giving her a second chance at life worth the risk?"

"In a word? _No!_ Besides, my mom and dad would never let me have a super-villain stay over!"

Overhearing her, Kim's father shrugged. "Of course Shego can spend the night. Any super-villain friend of Kim's is a friend of ours," he said, grinning. Her mother nodded in agreement.

Kim slapped her forehead. "All right, all right! She can spend the night. But she is _not_ using my pillow and toothbrush."


	7. Shego Rocks!  Act I, Chapter 6

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks! _

SIX

"So then we're in agreement?" Shego asked. "I'll stay here for the night, and then I'll start school at Middleton High tomorrow morning. After that, I'll lease an apartment in town and then find some wheels to get me around."

"Yeah," Ron said. "And get all of your school supplies, too, including the essential snackage: gum packs, soda--the kind that's super-charged with caffeine, of course--and Pop Pop Porter's pork wafers. And then there's the crucial reading materials: teen mags and _Everlot for Numbskulls_."

Kim rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Of course, pencils, paper, and text books have no place in high school," she said sarcastically.

Shego looked across the living room. "It looks like we have an audience."

"What do you mean?"

Shego snuck over, reached behind the couch, and lifted up a couple of boys by their collars. "Huh, spies. Eh, guys, I can do some interesting things with my hands. Ever have a blowtorch haircut before?"

Kim ran over to her. "Shego . . . no glowing hands, remember? Besides, that would just make the tweebs more antsy."

Shego blinked. "Tweebs?"

"It's plural for dweeb: one dweeb, two tweebs."

Shego sighed, and released her grip. "Ecch . . . brothers. If you've ever wondered how I developed violent tendencies, well . . ."

Jim took one look at Shego, and then he turned to his brother. "Hickabickaboo?"

"Hoo-sha!"

Shego stared. "Yes. Well, that made a lot of sense." She glanced at Kim. "Would you care to translate?"

Kim shrugged. "I don't know. I don't speak much Tweebese."

"Well, try something, just for fun."

"Uh, okay." Kim turned to Jim and Tim. "Bick-a-boo-a-hoo . . . a-bick-boo!" She turned back to Shego, and shrugged.

The twins looked at each other, trying to restrain laughter.

Shego looked at the two brothers. "So, what did she say?"

"She said she has just eaten a grouchy bookcase."

Kim shrugged. "See? I'll never understand them."

Jim smiled at Shego. "Hey, are you going to, like, go on missions with Kim now?"

"You're already wearing Kim's clothes, so you might as well," Tim added.

Shego groaned loudly. "Argh! Put two roasted twelve-year-olds on my to-do list, will you? And these clothes are the curse of my existence." She stomped upstairs to Kim's room.

Kim and Ron followed her up. "Well, let's see if we can remedy the situation." Kim hauled all her clothing out of her closet and laid it on her bed. Meanwhile, Ron and Rufus absorbed themselves in an online game on Kim's computer.

Shego stared while Kim worked. "Getting ready to move?"

Kim scowled. "I'm getting these out so that you can pick out some clothes for the morning. Green-and-black jumpsuits are not standard attire at school, and it sounds like you're not about to go around in my mission clothes."

Shego looked over to the clothing on Kim's bed. "And you actually expect me to wear that."

"We're pretty close to the same size. With some minor alterations you should--"

Shego sighed and rolled her eyes. "Uh-uh, uh-uh. I think a trip to Club Banana is in order. And _I'll_ pick out the clothes."

"For the ninth time, I really don't think this is a good idea." Kim sat, sulking, in the passenger seat of her dad's car.

Ron grinned and reclined between the two women in the front seat, while Kim continued to fume about the whole situation. "Relax, K.P. When's the last time you've had a friendly drive with your archenemy?"

"It's not the archenemy thing I'm mad about."

Shego was having great fun at the wheel. She smiled and waved out the window, flirting with some of the guys they passed. "Aww, Kim is just jealous. She asked her dad if she could borrow the car, and he said fine, as long as I drove, 'cause I was older."

"I am _so_ old enough," Kim complained.

"Yeah," Shego said, "but I heard your dad tell you, 'Now, Kimmie Cub, you're still too young to be out driving after dark.'"

While Shego quoted Kim's father, Kim rolled her eyes and mocked her father's statement by opening and closing her fingers in time with the words, like a sock-puppet. "And it's not even dark yet."

"I like that: 'Kimmie Cub,'" Shego teased. "Almost as much as 'Bubble Butt.'"

Kim sighed. "Do you even _have_ a valid driver's license? You know we're in big trouble if a cop pulls us over," she reminded them.

"Okay, then I'll drive slow."

Kim looked over to Shego, and noticed her joyful mood. "Hey, you're liking my outfit now? You don't seem ashamed people might see you in it."

Shego shrugged. "It's as stupid as ever. But all I have to do is tell everybody it's _your_ outfit. Hmm . . . Kim Style died out around two years ago, didn't it?"

Kim frowned, plopped her head onto her hand, and stared out the side window again.

Ron looked around, puzzled. "Hey, Shego, I appreciate your wanting to become a law-abiding citizen now, but you're only going eleven miles per hour. So, how are we going to do the Shego-going-incognito thing?"

Shego glanced over to him. "Well, we're going to Club Banana 'cause I'm adopting a whole new return-to-adolescent look. Except without the acne. And I'm not about to wear anything from the museum that Kim calls her closet." She smiled and looked over to Kim, hoping her facetiousness would get a positive response from her. But Kim was hardly in the mood and, if anything, was put off by Shego's wisecrack.

Ron scratched his head. "So, what name are you going to go by? How about Nicole Mira?"

"_Ron_, she doesn't need to change her name."

"Oh? Isn't 'Shego,' with no last name, sort of uncommon? I mean, wouldn't it be easy for the cops to track her down?"

Kim glanced over to him. "She'll have a whole new identity, aside from her name. Leave that to me and Wade. Trust me, after we're done, no one will be able to trace her whereabouts. Except for us, of course."

They reached Middleton Mall by seven-forty--more than an hour before closing time. It was a rather slow night, what with the Christmas rush being more than a month away; they figured that grabbing at least a couple of items from Club Banana should be easy.

Upon entering the store, Kim and Ron saw a pleasant, familiar face. Their good friend and classmate Monique staffed the store, as she had since moving to the area two years before. She was a pretty young woman of African-American descent with long flowing black hair, and she wore a tasteful crimson and black pantsuit and matching earrings. All Club Banana style, of course. She was mindlessly folding clothes at the counter when Kim caught her attention.

"Monique!"

Monique perked up. "Oh, Kim! So glad you're here. It's been so slow tonight, I could scream. Glad I finally have someone to talk to. Oh, and hey, Ron! I see you brought a friend."

Kim nodded. "Yes, this is Shego. Uh, she just moved to Middleton today. She begins classes at Middleton High tomorrow, and she needs some school clothes."

Monique and Shego had actually met once previously--in theory. But because of changes in the time continuum, that event was erased from history--and everyone's memories.

Monique smiled. "Shego. What a sweet, unusual name."

"Ah, but not so exotic and glamorous as 'Monique.'" She turned to Ron. "Got to love that French!"

Ron nodded in agreement. "Oh, yeah! French fries, French toast . . . uh, _si, señor!_"

Monique pulled Kim aside. "Is Shego all right? She looks . . . uh, she looks really pale."

"She's recovering from the flu."

Shego, overhearing them, grinned slyly at Kim. "Yes, it helps to avoid people _sneezing on you_." She trotted over to one of the racks, and waved to Monique. "Mademoiselle? Mademoiselle? May I please try on some of your fine wares, over here? I'm two sizes smaller than Kim."

Kim scowled, and put her hands to her hips. "Oh yeah, right. Still, with the insults?"

"Figured you'd have gotten used to them, by now." Shego laughed. "Okay, I'll make it up to you. See that jacket over there?"

A beautiful dark leather jacket hung in the display window. Kim eyed it longingly. "Well . . . uh, yeah. I've wanted that jacket since . . . well, since I was born."

"Hey! You're actually starting to learn fashion. Well then, take it. It's on me."

Kim was stunned. "Are you sure?"

"Get a lifestyle, Kim. Onyx is the new black." She laughed, and winked at her. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go get it."

"Well . . . thank you, Shego." She blinked, for she figured this was the first time in her life she had ever sincerely thanked Shego.

Kim admired Shego's taste in clothes; she no longer relied on a black-and-green scheme, but instead pulled out a nice array of whites, lavenders, pinks, and other pastel colors. It was nothing at all what one would have envisioned Shego wearing in the past. She tried on a number of items, and Kim, Monique, and Ron couldn't help but give a "thumbs up" to each one she tried, for everything looked ravishing on her. In all, she selected more than twenty wonderful outfits in less than an hour, and she added a number of terrific accessories, including belts, earrings, and a stylish book-bag.

Kim blinked as Shego headed to the counter. "Done, already?"

Shego grinned back at her. "I know clothes."

"And I _don't?_" In reality, Kim would have snatched up the very same outfits Shego had brought to the register, if she only had the money.

"Just learn from the master, here." She gestured to Monique. "Mademoiselle, I am now ready to check out, _s'il vous plait_."

Monique giggled at Shego's banter. She was instantly warming up to the pale new girl on the block. "_Merci beaucoup!_" She grinned broadly. "Will that be cash, check, or charge?"

"Cash, _mon cher_." Shego pulled a wallet from her duffel bag, and opened it.

Kim noticed that Shego's wallet contained a huge stack of paper bills. "Whoa . . . just how much money do you have?"

"Well, I've got three thousand dollars here. I have twelve million in the bank."

"Where'd you get all that money?" Kim frowned, and folded her arms. "All stolen, I bet."

"Nah, I sold short on tech stocks."

Kim rolled her eyes. "Same difference."

After shopping, Kim and Shego managed to pry Ron away from the video game arcade, and they ended up at Bueno Nacho for a late meal.

When they entered the building, Shego looked around, amused. "Yep, I remember this place. It looks different from the first time I was here, when I completely trashed the joint trying to get Drakken's stupid nano-tick from off your nose. When I ordered Ron's stuff yesterday, I mistook this thing for a gas station."

Ron grinned. "It _is_ a gas station! Just get some refried beans, and within a few hours--"

Kim gritted her teeth. "Just order. And remind me not to get near you until at least fourth period tomorrow."

Ron plopped his hand on the checkout counter. "Okay, Ned. I'll have three #2 combos, grande-sized. Four chimiritos--with extra, extra cheese, please. Oh yeah, and a bagful of atomic Diablo Sauce. Now, do the combos come with a toy? I--"

Kim pulled him away from the counter. "_Ron_, never mind the toy. Next time I'm at the toy store, I'll pick up a Britina doll for you. Now, let Shego order."

Shego looked straight at the bespectacled clerk. "If you don't mind, I'd like to order slightly off the menu."

Ned blinked. "Uh, how slight?"

"Well, I'll start with an escarole and Belgian endive salad, with balsam vinaigrette on the side. Main course: _tournedos de boeuf_, marinated in chardonnay, medium sauté. Green and yellow zucchini julienne, steamed crisp-tender, with just a hint of garlic. For dessert, I'll have a slice of Schwarzwald Torte, warmed, and served with raspberry drizzle. Now, do you have 1990 Chambertin burgundy, or would you recommend the house wine?" She noticed everyone in the place staring at her. "_What?_"

Kim moved forward, and addressed the cashier. "Uh, she'll just have the standard naco combo."

Shego looked confused. "What, are they out of the house wine?"

Kim turned back to her. "Let's just say, welcome to high school cuisine, Shego. From now on, you'll be dining at Chez Bueno Nacho. And you will practically live off of tacos and diet colas."

Shego frowned and plopped herself down at a nearby table. She groaned and rubbed her temples with her fingertips. "I'm already starting to wonder if this is all worth it. Ugh . . . the clothes, the food . . ."

Ron smiled as he brought the tray full of food over to them. "Oh, and Shego . . . got to tell you, our usual table is over there, by the other wall. Hey, you're actually eating nacos? That is bon-diggity!"

"What _is_ this naco thing, anyway?"

"Here, I'll show you! Look. Taco in my right hand, nachos in my left." He tossed them together. "Ta-da! _Naco!_" He showed her the result and grinned at her. "So, whatcha think?"

Shego shuddered. "Oh, I can't _wait_ to dive into pure lard and canned beans and cheese. And to think I wasted all my time in Parisian restaurants and New York steak houses when I might have been eating _this?_ I'd offer some to your rodent friend, but I'd be accused of animal cruelty." She dipped a spork into the liquid cheese that covered the nacos on her plate, tasted it, and made a face. But after a moment, she took another taste. "Still . . . to be honest, this stuff's not half bad."

"Yeah." Ron sulked. "Tell that to your brother. He deep-sixed the naco at the Mucho Grande--the biggest Bueno Nacho in the world."

"Hmm. I see Hego's finally found his calling. Some people save the world. Others try to conquer it. Hego has gained the enviable position of manager of a place that serves kiddie meals."

Kim grinned. "Well, _you_ know that's just a front for his superhero alter-ego. Although, you have to admit, he didn't fool your arch-foe Aviarius one bit."

Shego flashed her teeth. "Hey, not _my_ arch-foe. The birdman is my brothers' job. I have better things to do."

Ron looked at her. "The only time you fought Aviarius was when Kim and I came with you?"

Shego's anger rose sharply. "Do you know you ask too many questions?" She took a deep breath to calm herself. "All right. All right. If you really must know, I was a dorky crime fighter, too--from the time I was little until high school. And Aviarius was a constant pain to my brothers and me. Yeah, I was part of that ridiculous Team Go." She gripped her head with her hands. "Augh! Just mentioning those jerks makes my skin crawl."

Ron shrugged. "They didn't seem too bad."

Shego didn't know whether to rip into him, or to laugh aloud. "They were a bunch of idiots! And totally off in their own world. I was always the one with the good ideas, and more times than not, I ended up saving their collective butts. You think they ever did the same for me?"

"Well, did they?" Kim asked.

"Never." Shego folded her arms and turned her head away. "Maybe I'd have felt differently about them if they weren't so wrapped up in themselves. Hego, with his bossiness; Mego, with his self-centeredness . . ." She slumped back, exasperated. "Yeah. People sure are there for you when you need them," she mumbled sarcastically.

Kim sat back and ate in silence. She thought about how she had taken for granted all the people in her life who, even though they were annoying at times, were always there for her when she really needed them. Her mother and father, Nana her grandmother, her twin brothers. And then there was Ron . . .


	8. Shego Rocks!  Act I, Chapter 7

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks!_

SEVEN

Shego pulled the car into Kim's driveway at nearly half-past nine. Kim breathed a sigh of relief that they hadn't been spotted by any cops and got out to help Shego unload her packages into the house.

Kim's parents were busy prodding the twins to get ready for bed, and it took them a while before they noticed the two young women had returned. When the tweebs finally quieted down, the parents announced they were retiring as well. "Goodnight, Kimmie. Goodnight, Shego."

Kim winced. It was still ever so weird hearing someone in her family give Shego _any_ sort of cordial greeting.

Kim led Shego upstairs, with Ron following. "Uh, Shego, hope you don't mind sleeping on my floor. I'll let you use my sleeping bag, and I can pad it extra with some blankets." She needed Shego in her room; she was wary of allowing Shego to sleep anywhere outside her line of sight. And she had surreptitiously arranged with Wade to have the room scanned throughout the night for anything suspicious.

Shego grinned as she prepared to unpack her new purchases. "So we'll have our little party here, now."

Ron chimed in. "Hey, sounds fun to me."

"_Ron_. We're just going to be doing girl stuff. So, shoo. Out, out, out."

He grinned to Kim. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it'll be fun for me, too."

"Oh, really, now? We'll be doing--"

"Video games?"

"Makeovers."

"Oh." Ron blanched. "Oh, uh . . . I think Rufus looks tired. He needs sleep, you know. Um, sorry I couldn't stay. Catch you tomorrow, K.P. Later, Shego." He backed his way out of the house.

Shego folded her arms as she watched him leave. "Pity he couldn't stay. A makeover would have done him some good."

Kim fumbled through her desk drawer until she found a bottle of creamy peach-colored foundation. She wet a cotton ball with it, and raised the cotton towards Shego's face.

Flinching, Shego waved her hands. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. What do you think you're doing?"

"Well, uh . . . I don't exactly know how to put this. Most kids at Middleton High have skin of flesh color of some sort. Like peach, or cinnamon, or chocolate brown. Yours is . . . well, let's just say you'll have a hard time going unnoticed."

Shego laughed. "Yeah, I know I have to lose the pasty look. But that's not how to do it. Look at this." She pulled a pill jar from her duffel bag, opened it, and spilled some small capsules into her hand. Kim could see that the capsules contained a white substance that resembled chalk powder.

"It's organic dye," Shego explained. "It changes my skin pigment. All I have to do is take these, and my skin will become a regular flesh color by morning. So, you see--I won't have to be coated with heavy makeup."

Shego reached for her Club Banana packages, eager to tear into her new wares, and even more eager to shed the ridiculous garb she had borrowed from Kim. Shego threw on a loose-fitting pastel green night tee, and a pair of soft black flannel slacks. "Still green-and-black for one more night. My new color scheme starts tomorrow."

Kim put on her usual sleepwear: loose-fitting, medium-blue sweat pants and a dark-blue half length tank top with a pastel green heart on the front.

They suddenly felt the effects of the very long day, and the two young women plopped down on Kim's bedroom floor, a few feet apart from one another. The two of them sighed, buried their heads into their knees, and then looked up to each other. A minute or two of uncomfortable silence followed. It was the weirdest situation Kim had ever experienced: the two of them sitting face-to-face, alone, in their nighties. This was the first time in their lives they had nothing to do in each other's presence but sit calmly . . . and talk.

"You know, this is the first time we've not been at each other's throats," Shego finally observed.

"Well, there was one time we actually teamed up, remember? You know, when Ron and I joined up with you and your brothers, and--"

"Don't _even_ go there. Ugh. Just the thought of my brothers gives me nausea."

"Oh, and there was the time we were under Drakken's mind control, and we attacked Ron together," Kim said.

"We should do that again sometime."

"What, submit to Drakken's mind control and attack Ron?"

Shego laughed. "No, I mean team up on something. But never, _ever_ with any of my brothers."

Kim looked at her thoughtfully. "Maybe run a Club Banana franchise?" She decided to ask something she had been meaning to ask Shego for a very long time. "How did you ever get hooked on Club Banana, anyway?"

Shego smirked. "Don't you have every tiny detail about my past, in your dossier of me?"

Kim shrugged. "Maybe. But I want to hear the down low from you. What was it like in _your_ high school? I know you went."

Shego's smile faded. "Yeah, I was in high school once."

"You weren't much of a student, I suppose."

"That's what _you_ think." Shego sighed, then continued. "When I was in high school, I was just like you, Kim. I did everything! I played the stupid superhero part, for starters. I had my special powers, you know, and I took full advantage of them. I was on the volleyball team, led them to the state championship. Drama club for two years; I won Thespian of the Year both years. Karate club, too . . . go figure, eh? Band: played clarinet. Student council, two and a half years. I was one of the most popular kids in school. Everybody thought my Goth colors were the coolest thing. I got perfect grades, and I was guaranteed to become my class valedictorian. Sounded good, huh? It wasn't for me. It all went sour."

"What happened? Your brothers, eh?"

"Well, they just about drove me to homicide, but that wasn't what started things downhill for me." Shego stopped, looked away for a moment, and then continued slowly. "There was this guy in school. Mitchell Norton. Oh, he was so cool and good-looking . . . and an honor roll student, like me. He was a senior with three varsity letters. He was quarterback and captain of the football team. He was the hottest guy in school, and everybody was sure Mitch and I would make the perfect couple. And I hoped the prophecy would come true, 'cause I was madly in love with the guy. I finally got his attention, and he asked me out. He taught me how to play a Chopin prelude on the piano. I loved it so much, I went freaky about studying piano. I played everything I could get my hands on--from Bach to rock, and all in between. I'd always play Mitch the latest thing I learned, and when he'd smile to me in appreciation, I knew I had him. And, pretty soon, he was all mine. He was my boyfriend for almost a year."

Shego wrapped her arms around her legs, rested her head on her knees, and looked blankly at the floor. "I loved him. I really, really loved him. I swear, if he had asked me to marry him, I would have hauled him to the nearest altar."

Her face fell, and she took a deep breath. "Then came prom night. It was the end of my junior year. Mitch took me, of course. And we had an awesome time, until another girl caught his eye: Bethann Robinson, a new girl who had moved in just a few weeks before. She was pretty--really pretty--and she always wore the latest threads from Club Banana. She asked to dance with him. Well, I wasn't threatened . . . after all, Mitch and I were going steady, and he took _me_ to the dance, didn't he?"

Shego rolled her eyes, and uttered a grim laugh. "Silly me. Mitch danced with Bethann the rest of the night, leaving me to stand alone to watch. They finished the evening with a kiss and left together."

She paused, as tears filled her eyes. "And I never saw him again."

An awkward silence followed. Kim studied her face, wishing there was something she could say, but the words just wouldn't come. She had never before seen this kind of tenderness from Shego.

"But you already know about all that," Shego sobbed.

"No," Kim said softly, "I really didn't know."

"I could have fried the girl until she was nothing but radioactive dust, but I knew it would never bring Mitch back. There was nothing I could do. He graduated not long after that and went to college out of state. He was gone."

Shego sniffled, wiped her eyes, and continued. "I was never again the same. I was so low in those days, you could have just scraped me off the floor. I flunked out of my classes. Nothing mattered anymore: I dropped out of school and left home. My brothers' world was Team Go--nothing else--and what happened to me amounted to little. So, I left them. I did odd jobs for a while, and I had some modest success playing piano in Go City lounges. All the while, I kept up the martial arts. On the streets of Go City, you have to be tough to survive. Tae kwon do, jujitsu, kung fu . . . if there was a martial arts style, I learned it. It was a great way to blow off steam, and I had a lot of that in me. I practiced fourteen hours a day, seven days a week. And so, I got to be _really_ good . . . ah, but you _definitely_ know about that. I wrote off romance. I told myself, hey, getting all worked up over a guy is just not worth it. And ever since, I've taken care of myself. I didn't need a man in my life to take care of me. I didn't need _anyone_."

Shego sighed again and continued. "But I was always dirt poor, 'cause I pushed everyone away. The piano gigs started drying up, and I was literally out on the street. It was right around that time that I hit a turning point of sorts. I was practicing my kick-boxing alone in the seediest little gym in the city late one night, when I noticed the strangest-looking man press his face against the picture window, watching me from outside. Well, here I am, all sweaty and grubby, and this man is staring at me. Kind of scary like. I went outside to threaten him with death if he didn't leave. He apologized for staring, but said he thought I was the greatest fighter he had ever seen, and that he could use someone like me as a personal bodyguard." She shrugged. "Well, I thought heck, why not? It was a paycheck."

"Back then, of course, he was still just Drew Lipsky. He seemed to be a very bitter man. Mad at the whole world. He talked endlessly about building an army of robots to take over the world and get revenge on all the people who slighted or mocked him in his youth. It freaked me out at first. But there was something we had in common: hating the world. I remember how I had passed by Club Banana every night on my way back from the gym, looking at all the great stuff they had, and hating the fact that I could never afford any of it. As time went on, Drew's plans grew more sinister, but I went along with them, because I felt the same about everything as he did. And I swore to myself I'd have Club Banana style, even if I had to steal it. So, one day, he offered me all the Club Banana stuff I ever wanted, and a share of whatever he conquered, if I would go along with his plans. Of course, I accepted. And . . . well, the rest is history. With Lipsky as my benefactor, I went to the University of Go City. Soaked up all I could about biology, physics, astronomy . . . just about all the sciences. Spent all of my waking hours in either a lab or a gym. All paid for, in exchange for stealing lab equipment and bringing it to Drew. I'm sure you know the date and time that Drew became Doctor Drakken. The equipment I brought him started it all. Pretty ironic, huh? Without me, there would be no Doctor Drakken. Hey, and between you and me, I was a better scholar than Drakken."

Kim grinned. "I can hardly believe it, but for once I'm in agreement with you, Shego."

"But now that I think about it, I've never really been close to Drakken, even though we spent all our waking hours together. My relationships were always superficial. I trust no one, and no one ever trusts _me_. So, no one has ever loved me. Ever." Shego sat, reminiscing for a moment. She begged a tissue from Kim, and she wiped her eyes again and blew her nose gently. "I'd give anything to have a friendship like the one you have with Ron. Even though he's nothing like you."

Kim nodded. "It's true, Ron and I are different. And yes, he tends to be a klutz sometimes. But we compliment each other in so many ways. He has talents I don't have. Cooking, for one. He makes one mean naco, because he invented the thing! And he has always been my reality check. Whenever my blue fox personality gets out of hand--the bossiness part of it--he brings me back to earth." She went to her desk drawer, pulled out a couple of notebooks and a stack of papers and set them aside, and then gently lifted out a small folder. "Take a look at this. I don't show this to many people."

Shego opened the folder. Within it lay a photograph, taken one afternoon at a summer outing, many years before. She could easily tell the photo was of Kim and Ron, at approximately five years of age, fast asleep upon a blanket spread on the ground. Kim wore a bright white cotton summer dress, and Ron had on a plain white T-shirt and jeans. Both were barefoot. An assortment of well-loved Cuddle Buddies--Kim's favorite little plush dolls--rested between them, and a half-eaten dish of cherry vanilla ice cream leaned lazily beside them within the blanket. Two plastic spoons lay within the dish.

Shego chuckled. "Look at those adorable pigtails you wore back then!"

Shego studied the picture further, and noticed that the boy and girl lay face-to-face. Kim's head was snuggled under Ron's chin; his arm was curled around her shoulder. And her hand, which loosely clutched the stem of a small white flower, draped gently over his waist. There was an aura of timelessness about the photo, and the subjects appeared sublimely content and at peace.

"I've never shown it to Ron," Kim remarked, "because he'd go around school joking, 'did you know I slept with Kim Possible? Here's proof.' Well, actually, he _did_ sleep with me, but . . . well, you know . . . not in _that_ way."

Kim looked at the photo for a while before putting it back. "Still, Ron and I are really close. We've known each other for around thirteen years now, and we've gotten to the point where we almost know what the other is thinking, without even having to say a word."

"Oh, so you two _are_ an item, eh? You know, the first time I saw you two, I kind of figured he was your boyfriend."

"Whoa, whoa." Kim had to restrain herself from giggling. "Ron is _not_ my boyfriend. I love spending time with him . . . more than with anyone else in the world. But we are _not_ dating."

Shego blinked momentarily, for it seemed as though Kim had just contradicted herself. "O-kaaaay." She straightened up. "Well, then if Ron isn't your boyfriend, then who--"

Kim looked over to her. "Say what?"

Shego paused for a moment. "Nothing. It's nothing. I think I ought to get ready for bed."

"All right. But if you use the bathroom to wash up, beware of camera-toting tweebs, and keep the door shut at all times."

"Oh?"

Kim shrugged. "Well, maybe not. I might like to see a picture of you first thing in the morning, as the tweebs' new screensaver."

"It wouldn't be any worse than the one of you!"

Kim gasped. "You saw it?"

"Oh yeah. I was in a pretty foul mood after Drakken pulled that mind control trick on me. But hey, your jpeg came up in my e-mail right after that, and it really made my day."

Kim sighed and rolled her eyes. "I'm so glad I could be of service, making people happy."


	9. Shego Rocks!  Act I, Chapter 8

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks! _

EIGHT

When Kim went downstairs the next morning, she was surprised to see that Shego had already gotten up and showered and dressed in her terrific new Club Banana outfit: an eye-catching pink-and-white tank top and sparkling navy blue jeans. Kim was even more impressed to see Shego in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for the whole family. "Shego?"

Shego greeted her cheerily. "Good morning, Kim! Slow waking up? Here, protein will help." Shego placed a plate in front of Kim--a luscious breakfast, which included bacon, eggs, ham, and a biscuit.

The rest of Kim's family followed into the room. Kim's mom looked at Shego approvingly. "Thanks for taking up the cooking chores this morning. That's a big relief, because I have to scrub up early today. Major frontal lobe surgery, and it's going to be tricky." She looked closer at Shego, and grinned. "Stratum corneum looking much better today, by the way. Kudos on your dermal treatment."

Shego blinked. "Uh . . . thanks. I think."

Jim and Tim plopped in their seats. "Mom, Dad, we need to borrow the furnace."

"The _furnace?_"

"Yeah, we want to turn it into a nuclear reactor."

"Well, a nuclear reactor is a pretty big project--"

"Nah, it's a cinch. We need a nuclear reactor to power up our semi-fiber optic Doppler beam. We'll be sure to put it all back before dinner. Promise. Can we do it? Can we? Pleeeeeease?"

"All right, but you have to finish your breakfast first."

The two cheered and plopped themselves down at the table. They looked up and noticed Shego serving. "What? Shego's cooking? Oh no, she took cooking lessons from Kim!" They pretended to choke. "Poison! We need water! Water, please!"

Kim scowled at them. "No, she's _not_ poisoning us." Then she added under her breath, "Yet." She glared at the twins again. "And I can _so_ cook! That frozen microwave lasagna came out perfect last week. After only five tries."

The brothers looked over to Shego. "So, what exactly do villains like to eat for breakfast?"

Their mother scowled at them. "Now, Tim, what did we say about personal questions at the breakfast table?"

"Oh, but I think it'd be so cool to find out. I could do a whole school report on villains now. So what _do_ you eat, Shego?"

Jim nudged him. "Nerd! She eats evil stuff, of course."

"What, you mean like bad eggs, or something?"

"Moldy cheese!"

"Eww . . . and road kill."

"Yeah! Sausage patties made from road kill!"

"Eww!"

Shego rolled her eyes, and served their plates. "_Bon appétit_."

They looked at their plates, which were overflowing with sausage patties, and they resumed their gagging.

Between bites of his breakfast, Dr. Mr. Possible glanced at the morning paper and engaged in light conversation with the others at the table. "So Shego, new villain look today? I always say: if you're going to take over the world, do it in style."

Kim grinned at him. "No, Shego's done with her lawbreaking stint. She's going to high school now, Dad. With me and Ron at M.H.S."

"Really? I had no idea her family lived in the school district. Well, I look forward to meeting her folks at the next school event."

The twins giggled at Shego as they commenced food fight attacks against each other. "Hey, Shego . . . you don't look eighty years old anymore."

"Yeah, you don't look a day over seventy-five."

Shego glared at them. "Oh, and you two have a masochistic streak, don't you? Don't worry, I can be _quite_ accommodating."

Kim waved. "Shego, don't forget our agreement. When you get angry, just count to ten."

Shego rolled her eyes and sighed. "With them, you need a number somewhat higher than ten. Do you have a calculator?"

Dr. Mr. Possible frowned at the twins. "Uh, Jim, Tim . . . where's the couch?"

The tweebs stammered. "Uh, well, you see, we needed a counterweight for our new--"

Dad rolled his eyes. "No, not another trajectory rocket! Boys, how many times do I have to tell you: never put our living room furniture into orbit!"

The tweebs blanched, and looked at each other. "Hickabickaboo?"

"Hoo-sha!" They took off out of the house.

Dr. Mr. Possible turned to Kim as he and Dr. Mrs. Possible prepared to leave for work. "Look, if NASA comes around with a furniture van before I come home from work, you'll let them in again, won't you?"

"Sure, Dad."

"Thanks, Kimmie Cub. Have a good day at school." Kim's parents left the house.

Kim remembered the sardonic comment the twins made about Shego, but she thought that Shego indeed looked different this morning. It finally dawned on Kim that Shego's skin and lips had changed color. Shego had apparently been taking the capsules she showed Kim the night before, and they were affecting her skin color. Instead of her usual pale green, Shego's skin was now a common peach tone.

Shego pulled out a small white plastic case from her satchel. "Now, the next order of business is to trade in my eyes for a new color." She grinned. "Tinted contact lenses."

Shego twisted open the case, and, with her fingertips, pulled out a pair of contact lenses. She popped them into her eyes, and blinked a few times while her eyes adjusted to the new inserts. Kim blinked a couple of times herself, while she got used to Shego's new look. For now, instead of Shego's usual bright green irises, Kim now saw eyes of rich brown.

Seeing Kim open her makeup kit and pull out her lip gloss, Shego ducked under the table.

Kim looked at her, puzzled. "What are you doing? It's just lip gloss."

Relieved, Shego sat up slowly. "There aren't any stink bombs in your makeup kit, are there?" When Kim shook her head, Shego nudged the cosmetics box towards her. "You do the honors."

"Are you sure? I thought you hated my taste in makeup. And about last night, when I tried to apply your base--"

Shego shrugged. "Oh, don't worry about all that. I'll just hand you the right items, and you put them on me. I'll teach you everything I know."

Kim frowned. "I've done makeup more than a few times, Shego. I'm in _high school_, not middle school."

"Look, do you want to learn about fashion, or not? There's a whole lot more to style than mouthing stupid little phrases such as 'You look good in Giza green.' You need to know more about how to mix pastels, earth tones, whites, warm colors, and cool colors. So you look cute in your little green tank top--it brings out your eyes--but what happens when you get cold? Hmm? What are you going to do, throw on a frumpy orange parka, and pretend it's this year's retro chic?"

Kim looked irritated. "And just how many colors have _you_ tried on, Shego?"

"Hey--when I was a Team Go freak, and later Drakken's henchgirl, my choices were a bit limited. So sorry. But I told you I was obsessed with Club Banana style, and I studied it intensely for years, even though I could never wear it. So, no backtalk, 'kay?" She picked through various items in Kim's makeup box. "Look at this shade of lip gloss--it doesn't work with _any_ of your foundations. It's too cold." Shego held up a small container of Kim's lip gloss, and compared it to a bottle of base. "Now this, on the other hand, is much better--it's more of a natural color, with a hint of earth tone. You'll see how it goes with just about every base in your kit." Shego held up the lip gloss with the foundation to the light, and Kim nodded in agreement.

"You know . . . you're right, Shego. It _is_ better."

"And to be blunt, this is really the only base that works for you. You might as well dump the other four. And then there are your clothes . . . but I can only do so much in a half hour. The lesson will continue later. You need to get me made up so we can get to school."

After Kim applied a light layer of base, Shego was ready to begin her new makeup look. Under Shego's direction, Kim put a faint brush of mauve-rose blush on Shego's cheeks and pencil highlights to her eyebrows. Gone were Shego's signature jet-black lips; instead, Kim painted on violet lip gloss. And above Shego's eyelids, Kim brushed on a new, lighter shadow.

Shego looked positively sharp in her pink and white top and sparkling denim pants. Her exquisite form was even more apparent than when she had on her green jumpsuit. She picked up her lilac-and-cream backpack, and she was ready for school.

Kim took a few snapshots of Shego with her digital camera and uploaded the data to the Kimmunicator. "These are for your new I.D. cards," she explained.

"I have to come up with a fake I.D? No problemo, I can whip one up in ten minutes."

"Already gotcha covered, Shego." Kim grinned as she tossed a card to her--an authentic I.D., complete with a flattering portrait of Shego in her new get-up. "Compliments of Wade." It had taken Wade just twenty seconds to create Shego's new identification card.

Shego smiled as she admired their handiwork. "Why, isn't that so nice of you! And doesn't that camera just love me?"

"Hmm. Don't let it go to your head. Anyway, I've got you a whole set of I.D. cards, including driver's license, social security, birth record, and passport. And every computer in the world has the new info on file. You are officially a new person, Shego. We've told the Middleton P.D. and Global Justice that Shego--the criminal--is still at large, even though there will be a student by the same name at school. Wade has created a fake tracking signature of your old profile and has Global Justice chasing the signal. And every time G.J. gets near the spot, Wade moves the signal to another part of the world." She laughed. "He says it's like when he played flashlight tag when he was little and teased other kids as they tried to catch the spot on the floor."

Shego looked slightly panicked. "You sure my secret is absolutely safe with your nerd friend?"

"Oh, I know how G.J. can get. They could create a perfect hologram of me, and with it start questioning Wade about you. So, to be absolutely safe, I asked him never to answer questions regarding you from anyone, even from myself, unless I give him a secret password first."

Ron rapped on the front door twice and let himself in. It was seven-fifteen, unusually early for Ron to show. More often than not, it was necessary for Kim to run over to his house and practically kick him out of bed.

Smiling confidently, he swaggered into the room. "Hey, the Ron-man is here, ready to escort you two ladies to school, and . . ." He then spied Shego. Ron did a double take, and stood before her, agape. "Shego? Is that really you?"

Rufus couldn't believe his eyes, either. He sat up in Ron's pocket, and stared at her. "_Huh?_"

Shego leaned over towards Ron, and, with her right index finger, she slowly lifted his jaw and closed his mouth. "Yeah, it's me." She grinned at him seductively. "You know . . . you look kind of cute when you're in a trance like this."

Kim fairly pushed herself between Shego and Ron. "Okay, okay, Ron. Time to return to earth." She turned to Shego. "Sorry about all the staring."

Shego grinned slyly as she glanced back at Ron. "Hmm . . . whoever said I didn't like it?" She strutted ever more proudly.

Kim led the way to school, with Shego by her side. Ron caught up with them. "So, Shego. Love your new colors. Guess you're not green with envy anymore, eh?"

Shego glanced at him sourly, and then turned to Kim. "And you thought him indispensable on your missions, _why?_"


	10. Shego Rocks!  Act I, Chapter 9

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks!_

NINE

Kim and Ron led the way as Shego entered the doors of Middleton High School for the first time. They noticed that Shego was hardly intimidated by the new experience and unfamiliar faces, but they did notice she seemed a little bit lost. They pointed her to the main office, where Shego submitted her school registration papers. She simply handed them to the receptionist, who then tapped a few entries into a computer. The receptionist briefly asked Shego to verify her name, but otherwise she appeared unconcerned with Shego's application. The secretary finished inputting the information, ran off a receipt, stuffed it inside a packet, and handed the packet to Shego. "Okay, you're all set." There were no problems or glitches, and all of the class placements Shego requested--so that she could be near Kim and Ron--were granted.

It all took less than three minutes. And Shego was now a high school student.

They all exited the office together. "My papers just went down the bottomless pit of bureaucracy," Shego said, giggling. "I love it. But who's Mister Barkin? He's my homeroom teacher."

Kim grinned. "You don't remember him? You ran into him once a long time ago. I mean, you _really_ ran into him, at Bueno Nacho."

Shego's face fell. "Nice. I'd rather forget that whole first time at that stupid place, anyway."

Kim pointed to Shego's packet. "That is your beginner's survival kit for high school," Kim explained. "It contains your class schedule, calendar of events, and locker assignments. Oh, and it also contains the student handbook and about twenty pages of ads. I hear those make good kindling. Ah, I see your locker is not too far from mine." Kim led her down a hall. "Here is my locker. If you need anything, meet me here. I spend a lot of time here hanging with Ron and Wade."

Kim hesitated, unsure if she should open her locker and risk exposing many of Team Possible's secrets to Shego. After a moment, she decided that anything Shego might see was already common knowledge--as long as Kim didn't turn on her computer. Kim unlocked and opened her door.

The first thing Shego spotted was the photo of herself taped to the inside of Kim's door. "I see you have my picture up. I am so flattered! Looking for fashion tips?"

"You wish!"

"And there's Drakken's picture below mine. At least you have the pictures in the right order."

"So," Kim said, "Now to get you acquainted with the peeps. Want to make a big entrance? Lots of kids hang around in the gym before school starts, and there's a microphone in there that I can use to announce you."

Shego shrugged, and they made their way to the gymnasium.

Around two hundred kids were scattered around the gym. Most stood around, mingling with friends, buzzing about the previous days' activities, or complaining about personal grievances. Some were playing impromptu basketball games. Some were putting final touches on last-minute homework, as they sat on the floor with open textbooks. And a few sat, scattered along the wall, merely catching up on some lost sleep.

The microphone rested next to a wall at the end of the gym, and Kim picked it up. "Test, test. Is this on?" There was a momentary shriek of feedback, as Ron worked the sound panel on the wall and adjusted the volume. The gym quieted to a hush, as all eyes turned towards Kim.

Another kid turned on a bright spotlight and shone it on Kim. She wasn't expecting it, and she shielded the light from her eyes for a few seconds. She smiled to the audience. "Okay, I--"

"You rock, Kim Possible!" one boy blurted out from the back of the room.

A girl shouted to Kim. "Sing 'Say the Word!'"

"Yeah. Sing 'Say the Word,'" another echoed. The audience began to clap and chant for Kim.

Kim smiled some more, and blushed slightly. "Well, I'm not here to sing. I want to introduce everybody to a new student. She just moved in yesterday, and she will be in Mister Barkin's senior homeroom. Everybody, say hi to Shego."

The spotlight shifted gradually from Kim over to Shego. The large group began to 'ooh' at the sight of Shego in her sharp new clothes. More than a few of the boys were mesmerized, and some of them whistled. But then everybody sat, hushed.

Shego took Kim's place, and, after studying the audience for a while, she made a sour face and spoke into the microphone. "What, is everybody here studying to be an undertaker?" She stepped back, grinning, and waved her arms upward. "C'mon everybody--up, up, up. Stand up and stretch, relax, whatever."

The students looked at one another, puzzled, then slowly got to their feet.

Shego clapped her hands. "Now, it's time to party!"

Kim gave her a strange look. "What, at seven-thirty in the morning?"

Shego covered the microphone with her hand, and turned to Kim. "Why not? You think they'd rather dwell on their long day of classes?" Shego grinned, and addressed the crowd again. "Any of you old enough to remember the Oh Boyz? Got some moldy oldies, special for this situation."

Kim scowled and muttered to herself. "Cute. How about a rousing chorus of 'Quit Playing Games with my Head'?"

Shego nodded. "Hit it, Ron!" Ron turned on the CD she had handed him. Boisterous music rocked the place. Everybody cheered and waved their arms.

Some of them shouted. "Let's hear it for Kim Possible and her new friend! Shego _rocks!_" The kids all began to dance.

Shego smiled as she handed Kim the microphone. "Well, I hope I made a good impression."

Kim rolled her eyes. "Yeah, if they'll ever leave this place now."

Ron smiled broadly at Kim. "They're all digging this! Kim, this is great . . . and good for your homecoming bid. I'm going to see to it this keeps up. You are going to win that Homecoming Queen crown and beat Bonnie Rockwaller! Hey, don't worry your little head. The Rufus-Stoppable team is on top of it. We're going to personally handle your publicity."

They left the gym, while the speakers blared the Oh Boyz tune:

_Yes, I want it my way, I like it my way _

_It's my way or the highway _

_If that makes me selfish, as you have accused _

_Let me just say this: I don't like to lose . . ._

Kim and Ron led Shego to their first period class and homeroom, Applied Science. Mr. Barkin, a tough Vietnam-era marine, checked off the names of students as they trickled into the room.

Kim greeted the teacher. "Good morning, Mister Barkin."

"Possible . . . check."

"Morning, Mister B."

"Stoppable . . . check. Mysterious black-haired girl . . . check." Barkin looked up from his clipboard. "Oh, I see we have a new girl. Your name, miss?"

Shego grinned up to him pleasantly. "Shego." She handed him her registration receipt. She then exchanged knowing glances with Kim.

Barkin walked around her, eyeing her suspiciously. "Shego? Shego what?"

"It's just Shego. It's derived from my family name, which is Italian. My original name was Sheila Prego. I just tacked on the _she_ part of my first name to the _go_ part of my last name. Just like my brothers Henry, Melvin, Wesley, and Wendell became Hego, Mego, Wego One and Wego Two. All in honor of Go City, from which we just moved."

"Sounds like one of those weirdo hippie-type families," Mr. Barkin muttered under his breath. "All right, Sheeeeeego, you can take your seat over there, next to Possible."

Brick Flagg, the burly Middleton High quarterback and football team captain, smirked from the back of the room. "Shego? As in 'Shego here, Shego there, Shego everywhere?'" The class giggled.

Shego glared back at him, and faked a laugh. "Very funny . . . _not!_" She turned and whispered to Kim. "Permission to hurt him?"

Kim held up her hand, and whispered back. "Well, uh, not now. You don't want to attract unwanted attention, you know. But hold that thought; it might come in handy sometime."

Barkin growled. "All right. Listen up, people! Let's get a little law and order in this place. This is science class, not the Tri-City Zoo. It is now oh-seven forty-five hours, time to start homeroom, otherwise known as basic training. Now, your homework assignment is due today, and I want you all to break it out, pronto." He nodded to Shego. "Of course, those just now joining the class are exempt. But the rest of you . . . yes, Stoppable?"

Ron blanched. "Uh, Mr. B, I don't have my homework today. You see . . . my dog ate it." He noticed the class cracking up around him. "No, really, it _did!_" He then heard even more peals of laughter.

Kim scowled back at him. "Everyone knows you don't have a dog," she whispered.

Mr. Barkin gave Ron a strange look. "Your dog ate your homework? Well, that's very interesting, considering the assignment was a packet of dissected worms in formaldehyde. My condolences for the loss of your dog."

The class laughed loudly, and Ron sank in his chair.

"Mister Barkin?" Bonnie asked from the back of the class, as she checked her nails. "Real worms were, like, _way_ too gross, so instead I used gum worms. That's okay, isn't it?"

"Sure. As long as you can point out all the gum worms' internal organs."

Bonnie pouted.

"Now, people," Barkin boomed. "As I warned you last time, you are to do a mini science project here in class today. No partners this time . . . got that, Stoppable? You're all on your own. You have forty-five minutes. And I got to tell you: it'd better be impressive." The class scattered about the room, each student showing different degrees of confidence.

Twenty minutes later, Mr. Barkin went around the perimeter of the classroom, as he inspected each students' work. Monique was more than halfway through her experiment; she was testing the acoustical properties of various substances.

Ron had assembled a strange, disorganized array of beakers, electrical wires, stellar charts, and lab animals, and he stammered that he was "Just getting ready to start." Kim--always the best in the class--was already nearly finished with her assignment; she plotted the trajectory of an outgoing rocket, and she was busy constructing a model to test her hypothesis.

Mr. Barkin then moved over to Shego's station. Shego was wearing protective goggles and hand mitts, and she used a thin metallic instrument to hold a small brown object over a Bunsen burner. She appeared to be deep in concentration.

Mr. Barkin was perplexed. "Shego, what is that?"

Without speaking or changing her expression, Shego flipped up her glasses, removed the object from the blue flame, and moved it aside to show it to him. It was a roasted marshmallow.

"Uh, but we're doing science now, Shego."

"Sorry, but I got bored. You see, I finished my assignment ten minutes ago, and I found something to do while waiting for you to come by. See? I made you a whole stack of S'mores."

If there was one thing Steve Barkin couldn't resist, it was a tray full of S'mores. He brightened. "For me? Ooh, just like camp!"

Ron covered his ears. "No! No! _Not_ just like camp!" The very mention of the word "camp" sent him into a panic, as it reminded him of his bad experience with the mischievous chimp.

Mr. Barkin snatched up one of the S'mores and prepared to devour it. He then looked suspiciously at Shego. "What about your assignment?"

"Oh, it's right here." She nodded towards a gray metal box nearby. It featured some switches and LED lights, and it had an electric power cord attached to the back. "It's not as good as most I've built, but it'll do."

"What is it?"

Shego grinned slyly. "Plug it in, and enjoy. I have all my notes, including my hypothesis and conclusion, all right here in my folder."

While Mr. Barkin carried the box to his desk, Bonnie turned around suddenly. "She's done, _already?_ No way!"

Everyone in the class gaped at the new student, and they huddled around to watch.

Kim dropped what she was doing, and stared nervously over to Shego's station. Kim wondered if Shego had built a bomb or some other menacing device, and she debated with herself whether to warn the class to dive under their desks.

Mr. Barkin carried the box over to his desk, and plugged it in. The box made a faint whirring noise, but that was the only noticeable thing coming from the strange object.

Mr. Barkin looked annoyed. "Uh, are you playing games, Shego?"

Shego rolled her eyes and sighed. "And here I thought Doctor D was the only one this dense," she muttered to herself. She strutted over to Barkin's desk, and plugged the cord of his monitor into the back of the gray box.

Barkin's eyes nearly popped out. The whole class clamored around Mr. Barkin's shoulders to gawk at Shego's amazing achievement.

"I don't believe it," Mr. Barkin gasped.

The entire class stared, openmouthed. "It can't be."

"She--"

"She built a whole computer . . ."

"From scratch, using nothing but old transistors--"

"And in just ten minutes!"


	11. Shego Rocks!  Act I, Chapter 10

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks!_

TEN

"Ten minutes! Ten minutes!" Ron huffed, breathless, as he ran the hallways, taping up posters promoting Kim for Homecoming Queen. "Ten minutes until the next class." He was eager to spread the posters, but he also knew that three tardies in a month automatically meant detention. And Ron shivered at the thought of whom he might have to sit with, should he be detained. A frightening lot, they were.

He ran down a rather dark hallway. When he was halfway down the hall, he stopped suddenly. Ron groaned. "Oh, man . . . this is D hall."

It had been ages since Ron had visited the place, and with good reason. The worst bullies of the school lurked in D hall. In Ron's mind, it was the cavern of the damned. He knew the engine room was somewhere down that dark hallway, but he didn't know exactly, nor did he ever care to know. All he knew was that in years past, his ventures down the hall always spelled danger. And Ron had carefully scheduled his classes so he could avoid the cursed place. And he had succeeded, until then.

"Hey!"

Ron looked over his shoulder, seeing a guy about his age, but who stood at least nine inches taller. He wore a grease-stained leather jacket that was so crinkled and faded, Ron figured it had to have been passed down at least two generations. The boy's jeans were ripped out at the knee, and the jeans and T-shirt were badly in need of laundering. A long patch of stringy, straight hair partially hid his face--a face covered with grotesque patches of acne. Ron couldn't tell whether the other guy's hair was naturally brown, or whether the oiliness of the kid's hair turned his otherwise blond hair that color.

Ron balked at the sight of him. "Uh . . ."

"Yeah, I'm talking to you."

"Uh, hi, Blix. Long time, no see." Ron chuckled nervously.

Blix was accompanied by four other scruffy-looking boys. One, Punt, was a little weasel of a guy, though he still looked dangerous. He wore an ugly black tee shirt and badly faded denim pants. His eyes bulged fiercely, and he smiled with a severe underbite--his face resembled a snarling Shih Tzu, except that his head was nearly bald, having been shaven clean.

Punt flashed a toothy grin. "Oh look, Blix, at the busta, in his dorky clothes." With his right hand, Punt pounded a steel bracelet--a sort of poor man's brass knuckles--into his other hand.

Blix, the largest kid of the group, grabbed a steel chain from around his shoulder, and wrapped it menacingly around his hands.

Ron swallowed. "Well, actually I picked them up at Smarty Mart. They had a great clearance sale on--"

"Oh, you think you're something, eh?" Blix grabbed Ron by the collar, lifted him in the air, and slammed him against the lockers. He continued to hold Ron fast in his grip, and he thrust his chain against Ron's throat.

Rufus, sensing impending danger, scampered from Ron's pocket, and ran in search of Kim for help. Ron only hoped Kim's aid would not come too late.

Dang, the third of the hoodlums, looked at the others. "So, what do we do with the dork?"

Punt guffawed. "Let's throw him in the trash!"

"Yeah," Yiddle, the fourth kid in the group, said. "Let's throw him in the trashcan! That's about his level."

"To swim with the maggots, like him," the fifth, Reeky, said.

Ron grimaced. "Well, actually no. The can is about two feet shorter than me . . ."

"Are you mouthing off to us?" Blix demanded. He twisted his hand, and Ron's collar tightened. "Huh? Did you say something?"

Ron squeaked, asphyxiated. He tried to call for help, but nothing could come out of his throat. He was reduced to praying for mercy.

A voice sounded from behind the group of boys. "Put him down. Now."

It was a female voice. But it wasn't Kim Possible's.

"It looks like someone's hard of hearing," the voice continued. "I said, put him down."

The boys turned around slowly, and saw Shego looking at them sternly, with her hands on her hips.

The bullies laughed. "Oh, it's just the new girl," Yiddle said.

The dog-faced boy taunted Shego. "Hey, girl, just go back to Home Ec and bake cookies or something," Punt chortled. "This is none of your business."

Shego was undeterred. "I'm making it my business. Anyone who messes with him has to answer to me."

They raised their eyebrows at her audacity. Reeky strutted over to her. "Well, who do you think you are, another Kim Possible?"

With both hands, Shego grabbed him by the collar, yanking him back to her. With a sinister smile upon her face, she thrust her face into his. "Try me, and see what you think."

Dang grabbed her arm. Her reaction was swift and ruthless. Shego gave the kid a quick backhanded karate chop--square between his eyes--sending him flying across the hall. Three high kicks and one twist punch later, and the others were sprawled on the ground as well. Five motions, five boys decked. And Shego hadn't even knocked a lock of her hair out of place. She crouched in a defensive position, ready to strike again, if necessary. The boys retreated sheepishly, seeing they were hopelessly outclassed.

During the melee, Blix had dropped Ron to the ground. Ron got up and dusted himself off. "Gee, Shego . . . um, thanks. You saved my butt."

"You okay?"

"I think so."

"Trust me, no one's going to do that to you again."

"Where's Rufus?"

Just as he said that, his pet mole rat came running back to him, Kim close behind.

"Ron," Kim asked as she caught her breath, "what's going on? Rufus was acting really upset, and he seemed to want me to follow him here."

Ron stammered. "Well, uh . . ." He was embarrassed about having to tell Kim he needed her to rescue him. Again.

Shego intervened. "Ron here beat five bullies, and he wanted you here to watch. You should have seen it, Kim. Ron was awesome!"

Ron couldn't let a total falsehood stand. "Well, Shego helped. She helped _a lot_."

Kim folded her arms and studied the two of them. She wasn't sure whom to believe, but she was more inclined to believe that Shego helped Ron, than believe that Ron overcame five bullies. But even the former seemed incredible to her. "Shego came to your rescue?"

"Yes, she did."

"Well . . . thanks, Shego . . . again."

Kim then noticed that some of the onlookers smiled and applauded Shego; many of them had hoped to see the bullies finally get their comeuppance.

Kim had finished loading her locker following third hour, when Monique trotted over to her. "Kim, I am just beside myself about your new friend Shego. Where did you ever find her? She is _so_ nice! She gave me front row seats to the next GWA wrestling match!" Monique jumped up and down. "Front row! You can't _dream_ about tickets like these!"

Kim shut her locker with a bang. "Swell. I'll take a rain check on it. But you and Shego can go see Pain Toe all you like."

Monique folded her arms. "Hmm. Do I detect a hint of jealousy?"

Kim chortled. "Me, jealous over a couple of wrestling tickets? That'll be the day."

Kim heard Ron ecstatically run up to her. He wrapped his arms around her, practically squeezing the breath out of her.

He waved a paper jubilantly. "Awwright! Kim! Kim! I got a D minus! I got a D minus on the _Othello_ quiz!" Ron was leaping with joy.

Kim scowled at him. "You get a D minus, and you're happy?"

"It's an improvement, isn't it? At this rate, I'll be smokin' A's in less than a month. What did you get?"

"A hundred."

"Did I even have to ask? It's been two years since you got less than a perfect score on anything. I keep telling you: you've got no weaknesses, K.P. You're perfect!"

"I'm not perfect."

"Hey, Monique, how did you do on the Shakespeare test?"

Monique smiled, struck a dramatic pose, and recited.

_My mother had a maid call'd Barbara: _

_She was in love, and he she loved proved mad _

_And did forsake her: she had a song of 'willow;' _

_An old thing 'twas, but it express'd her fortune, _

_And she died singing it: that song to-night _

_Will not go from my mind; I have much to do, _

_But to go hang my head all at one side, _

_And sing it like poor Barbara. _

Ron folded his arms, and scowled. "Showoff."

Kim smiled and sighed. "Ah . . . Desdemona, Othello's tragic wife."

Monique giggled. "A man that all his time hath founded his good fortunes on your love, shared dangers with you--"

"All right, all right," Ron said. "Quit with the foreign languages. Let's get to lunch." He stopped. "No, wait. I'm going to bail from lunch and finish putting up Kim's posters. I'm all about the publicity, baby. Come with, Monique? Bueno Nacho for everybody after school, to make up for lunch. My treat."

Monique grinned. "You're on! Got an extra roll of tape?" She turned to Kim. "How about you, Kim?"

Kim was facing the other way down the hallway, staring blankly. "Uh, what?" She shook her head and blinked. "Uh, sorry, but I need to . . . well, I need to . . . I've got to eat. I'm getting dizzy. Hypoglycemia, you know. Have fun, guys! See you later." Kim ran off in the direction she had stared.

Monique looked at Ron as they went to hang posters. "Hope she's all right."

Ron scratched his head. "Hmm. Hypoglycemia. I should know that word. That's a disinfectant, isn't it?"

Kim raced to the lunchroom, pursuing the vision she saw in the hallway. As it turned out, she was right. Kim saw _him_. It was Josh Mankey, only about thirty feet ahead of her in the lunch line. Oh, but this was an opportunity to meet up with him, for he rarely spent lunch hour in the cafeteria. Maybe if she got close enough to him, he'd talk to her. All she had to do was catch up.

She hurriedly grabbed a tray and scooted up the line. But in her haste, she bumped the large stack of trays, and it tumbled over with a huge crash. The noise elicited a smattering of sarcastic applause from the lunchroom. Kim hid her face behind the single tray she had picked up, wishing all the while she could just disappear entirely.

As she had obviously missed her opportunity with Josh, Kim sullenly grabbed up the nearest lunch items within reach and made her way to a secluded corner of the lunchroom. Sighing, Kim placed her tray on a deserted table and sat alone.

"Sit with you?"

Kim turned around. It was Shego.

"Yeah, okay."

Shego pulled up a chair, and sat next to Kim. "What, no place at the senior table for you?"

"Tomorrow, yes. But not today. You didn't see that wonderful avalanche I made with the cafeteria trays?"

"No, I missed it. Would you repeat it?"

"Ha ha. Only if you help."

Shego stared at the food items on Kim's tray. "Good Lord. You eat that voluntarily? Those look like some of Drakken's failed mutation experiments."

"Well, what did _you_ buy? Probably not much better."

"Oh, no. Bagging it all the way. Except it's not a paper bag. It's a Club Banana mohair satchel. Today's menu: seafood salad, spinach quiche, and cappuccino tiramisu. Now, I need to set my table." She pulled out a sterling silver table set, a silver-rimmed china platter and matching salad plate, and she arranged them neatly upon a sleek-looking satin placemat and napkin. "I was disappointed to hear they don't allow alcoholic beverages or open flames in the cafeteria, so I'll have to do without wine or candles."

"What, and no string quartet? Oh, the horror. How you'll ever survive is beyond me, Shego. Nothing to drink except water, eh?"

"You crazy? I came prepared. Hey, I'm willing to share a cup of java with you."

"Is it instant? If so, then no thanks. I hate instant coffee."

Shego grimaced. "Brrr. No way would I even touch instant. I serve fresh-ground only, using the finest beans." Shego lifted a small espresso machine out of the satchel, placed it on the table, and brewed a cup of latte.

"So, what is that, Brazilian? Columbian?"

"Eww, no! Costa Rican. Only the best."

_Costa Rican, Columbian, Canadian . . . what's the difference?_ Kim thought. "That actually _does_ smell good," she admitted. "Well, maybe I'll try just a little." She took the cup and, since Shego was drinking from the same batch, tasted some of the brew. Her eyes lit up and she nodded. "You know, this really _is_ stellar!"

"I picked these beans myself, the last time Drakken and I were in Central America."

"So you've been to Costa Rica?"

"I've been to every nation in the world," Shego said, proudly. "You?"

"Well, no. Liechtenstein has been elusive."

Shego guffawed and slapped her knee. "Ha! I've got you beat at something!"

"But I've been to San Marino. Beautiful mountains."

"Oh, of course. Quiet place, too. Look at all the places we've been at the same time. Tokyo, Paris, Florida, Canada, Go City, Las Vegas, Area 51 . . ."

"Oh, and don't forget Milwaukee!"

Shego rolled her eyes. "Oh, yeah. Exotic Milwaukee. Swimming in melted cheese, to boot."

"North Pole?"

"Now, _that_ was different. Christmas party with Drakken and Ron in a trash pod. But kind of romantic for you, though."

Kim shrugged. "What, that peck I gave Ron under his fake mistletoe? No big. Like I told you, he's just a friend." She took another sip of her latte. "You're right, you _have_ been everywhere. See, Shego . . . you never had to take over the world. The world was already yours." She looked up to her. "What good is conquering the world, when afterward no one wants you?"

Shego sat quietly. Finally, she muttered, "Let's turn it around: if no one wants me, then why not take over the world? It's not like I'd have anything to lose."

She was interrupted by a thunderous voice over the school's P.A. system. "I have an important announcement." It was Mr. Barkin. "About the voting procedure for Homecoming King and Homecoming Queen."

The people in the lunchroom stopped and murmured amongst themselves.

Mr. Barkin continued. "All right. Listen up, people! The voting is done on two ballots. Today's first ballot will determine the nominees. Anyone with more than fifty votes will be on the Homecoming Court and get their names placed on the second ballot. The second ballot will be two weeks from today. All students will still be eligible for election, but only the names of the winners of the first ballot will be printed on the second ballot." He concluded with, "That is all. Back to your stations."

It was already a given who the nominees would be, and so this first ballot was merely a formality. _Kim and Bonnie, Bonnie and Kim_ had virtually become the school slogan. And the competition against Josh Mankey was practically nil. Kim related all of this to Shego.

Shego shrugged. "Such bizarre rules. So, if that Mankey guy wins today, he's automatically the Homecoming King, right?"

"Well, not necessarily. Even though Josh's would be the only name on the ballot, everyone would still be eligible. If someone were to get more write-in votes than Josh, then the write-in person would become Homecoming King."

"Ah, so Ron could still become Homecoming King."

"Yeah. And Ron could still become the Nobel Prize winner for physics this year," Kim said. "Neither is likely to happen."

"So, you're one of the top contenders for Homecoming Queen? Wow. Who'da thunk?"

"Thanks for the undying support, Shego."

"Who's this Bonnie Rockwaller?"

"Oh, she's with me on the cheerleading squad."

Shego could tell from Kim's expression that Bonnie was not exactly her favorite person. "She's that bad, eh?"

"Well, let's just say the less said about her, the better," Kim said quickly.

"And who is Josh?"

Kim shifted uncomfortably, dropped her hands suddenly, and looked away.

Shego studied Kim's face for a moment. "You know him?"

"Yes. I know him. And I think you know him, too. Do you remember masquerading as a waiter once, while I was out on a date? And, uh, some embarrassing things you did to me? He was my date that night."

Shego nodded knowingly. "Ah, so _that's_ Josh." Shego could tell that the very mention of his name struck a raw nerve in Kim. Shego lowered her voice. "You really like him, huh?"

Kim placed her elbows on the table, rested her chin in her hands, and looked up. "Oh, Shego, if you only knew. You see, a couple of years ago, there was this dance . . . the Spirit Dance, when girls could ask boys to go with them. I wanted so badly to ask Josh. For the longest time, I couldn't even get up the nerve."

"Well, did you go with him?"

Kim blushed. "Oh, yeah. And it was _so_ great. And then, after I waited for months, he finally called me up--the night he took me on that date to the restaurant and movies."

Shego touched Kim's shoulder. "Hey, I got to tell you . . . I'm really sorry for what happened that night. I guess you could have done without the dribble glass and whoopee cushion." She looked down glumly. "I know I ruined your evening."

"Well, actually, it turned out just sweet." Kim looked up again, starry-eyed. "He even kissed me."

Surprised, Shego looked over to her. "Really? So, what's the prob?"

Kim shrugged and folded her hands. "Well, you know . . . life goes on, things happen. And I didn't see much of Josh anymore. Something kept interrupting me."

"Gee, I wonder what _that_ could have been?"

"Yeah, among other things, there was a certain blue-faced doctor and his assistant who kept me quite busy." Kim forced a laugh, and then she looked down. "I saw Josh a few times after that night. And then when I got too busy, he stopped calling. But my feelings for him never really went away. He doesn't even seem to know I exist anymore, but whenever I'm alone with my thoughts--I still think about him."

"Do you love him?"

Kim shook her head. "I don't know. I'm still finding out what love really is. But if I had to answer, I'd have to say yes." She looked up to Shego. "Yes, I love Josh."

"Why don't you just go talk to him, or call him?"

Kim had heard that question countless times before, from so many well-intentioned people: from her mom, from Monique, and even from Ron. And she gave Shego the same stock answer she gave all the others. "I can't even talk right around him, and my legs turn to gelatin. And it happens every time. I can't tell you how embarrassing it is . . . it's _totally_ humiliation nation."

"Am I hearing this right? Is this the same Kim Possible who saves the world? Who says she can do anything? Your legs turn to gelatin? Get out of here!"

"It's true."

"Is this Josh guy seeing anyone right now?"

"No. At least, I don't think so. However, Bonnie Rockwaller's had her eye on him for as long as I can remember."

The last few times Kim had seen Josh, he was with Bonnie. Usually, Bonnie would go over to hang out at Josh's locker during breaks. And he didn't seem as disinterested in Kim's rival as he had a couple of years ago. All of this was very distressing to Kim because the homecoming dance loomed, and if Bonnie and Josh won the respective homecoming titles, Bonnie would definitely take the opportunity to make a move on Josh.

"Oh, okay," Shego said. "I'm starting to see things clearly now. This homecoming election is important to you because you'd have a chance to get back together with Josh." She wore a strange grin upon her face. "But Bonnie's still in the hunt, I see," Shego observed. She smiled fiendishly. "But just you wait. Interesting things are going to start happening. To Bonnie, that is."


	12. Shego Rocks!  Act I, Chapter 11

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks! _

ELEVEN

Shego continued to adapt to her new life at Middleton High. She'd drive to school in a shiny new red sports car, and kids would flock around it in admiration as she stepped out. They often rushed by Kim, who'd feel a little bit downcast that she still had to get to school on foot.

Shego continued to excel in all of her classes, yet showed no sign of becoming a menace to either Kim or her classmates. In fact, she gladly spent extra time with some of the kids, helping them with their homework. The kids called on Shego as often as Kim, who had always been the premiere student tutor of the school.

Shego was approaching her locker just before lunch period when she came across Ron, who was sitting alone in a corner of the hallway. He looked as though he was concentrating hard while scribbling something in a notebook, and a pile of papers and trifles surrounded him.

"What are you doing?"

He looked sour. "Oh, math." He sighed. "I'm majorly flunking out. And if I don't pass this, I won't be eligible for the college Kim's applying to. And if that happens, we won't be in school together for the first time since we were toddlers."

She shrugged. "Math's a piece of cake." She pointed a thumb towards Rufus. "Didn't Wonder Weasel teach you anything when he was your temporary genius?"

"No. And Kim and Wade haven't been able to help, either. Maybe _you_ could help me?"

She knelt down in front of him. "Oh? They haven't written you off as beyond hope yet?"

"I'm serious, Shego. I _so_ need this passing grade. Now, you've had experience teaching, haven't you? I mean, you taught Señor Senior Junior for a while, didn't you?"

Shego suddenly made the weirdest face Ron had ever seen. She looked as though she were trying to hold her breath, and she sat there for almost a full minute. Then she broke out into uncontrollable shrieks of laughter, doubling over in mirth. She put her hands to her face, and she looked as though she were in tears. Eventually, she collapsed to the ground, giggling.

Ron looked around, hoping that no one was staring at this ridiculous scene. "Uh, Shego, are you all right?"

She sat up, trying to regain her composure. Then she took one look at Ron and broke into peals of laughter again.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Oh-kaaaay. Now I know a good way to subdue you, if I ever need it."

Shego wiped her eyes, chuckling a few last times. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Let's just say that whole episode was . . . well, I won't get into it. You saw yourself how successful _that_ turned out."

"Well, yeah. K.P. and I foiled your plans and caught both of you. Granny Crockett gave me two free bags of cookies for rescuing her recipe."

"Oh, really? Granny Crockett is generous beyond words." She rubbed her head. "All right, all right. I'll help you. If I can teach S. S. J., I can teach you. And don't take that as a very high compliment. What is this stuff, anyway?"

"Uh, algebra."

"Really, algebra? By the looks of this mess, I would have guessed origami, with a little bit of Sanskrit and Bueno Nacho thrown in. Is there something resembling a textbook hidden under all this?" She reached into the pile of papers and, with her fingertips, gingerly lifted the book out by its corner. "Ugh. And I don't even want to know where this book has been."

"Actually, Rufus just used it as his--"

Shego quickly clamped her hand over his mouth. "You. Quiet." She carefully opened the text and turned to a page in the middle. "Okay, here are some problems to solve. I'll help you along with them. Ready?"

"I'm Mister Ready. Shoot."

"Okay, if a train and a car are two hundred miles apart, and the train is traveling at sixty miles per hour and the car is traveling at forty miles per hour towards each other, what time would it be when they meet, if they both begin the trip at noon?"

Ron scratched his head. "What's the train schedge?"

Shego blinked. "Wha--?"

"Train schedule. You have to know the train schedule. What train leaves at noon . . . hmm." He looked up, deep in thought.

Shego scowled. "We're not talking about real trains here, dolt. It's just an imaginary train."

"Well, tell that to the passengers, and the train company. You know, they depend on that train for their livelihoods. I would never think of taking that away from them. Yeah, and if the train company goes bust, then that will throw a lot of people out of work. That's bad for the economy, you know. But then again, maybe they'd all take up jobs at Smarty Mart, and everything will be spankin' again, you know?"

Shego's eyes flashed red. "Back to the problem, now . . ."

Ron nodded. "Yes, you also mentioned a car. Forty miles per hour? Is that on a freeway, or side road? If it's a side road, it might take longer if they have to stop and ask for directions. Hey! If it's in a school zone, then the cops will pull them over and take 'em in for speeding. Then the answer is 'never.' Hey, that was easy!"

Shego buried her head into her hands. "No green flames . . . no green flames . . . I promised . . . I promised . . ."

"You okay, Shego?"

Shego shook her head, straightened up, and faked a smile. "I'm fine. Really, I am." She tossed the book behind her. "Okay. That approach is toast. Let's try something else. If X plus Y equals--"

"You see, Shego . . ." Ron's face dropped. "That's when my brain gets all mixed up. X's and Y's and Q's and W's . . . it all just goes over my head. It's like a big huge bowl of alphabet soup flooding the classroom, and I just drown in it."

Shego thought for a moment. "Wait. I have an idea."

She explained a concept to him, using his video games as a point of reference. Ron looked confused at first, but as she went on, he began to understand more, and suddenly things began to make sense to him.

Ron almost looked like a different person when he returned home that afternoon. He would frequently spend the afternoon and evening doing something with Kim, but he was so excited over his new insight, he was eager to share it with his parents.

"Mom! You won't believe this, but I actually understand algebra!"

His mother was sitting in the living room busily working a crossword puzzle, and she looked up briefly. "Well, that's nice. Ron, you know what day this is?"

"Yeah, Friday. Why?"

"Uh, Rabbi Katz has been asking about you. It's been ages since you've been to Shabbat at temple. Don't you think it's time you came with us tonight, for a change?"

"Aww, but mom, you always make me sing the Kiddush with the little kids! Besides, I wanted to go see Kim tonight."

"Maybe Kim could come with us again. She seemed delighted all the other times she came along."

"Oh, but she can't. You see, she has to keep an eye on She--" He gulped. He was hardly prepared to explain Shego to his parents--at least, not about why Kim had to constantly keep an eye on her. "Uh, I mean, she has to keep an eye on Rufus . . ."

"Oh? Now, why on earth would she need to look after Rufus?"

He winced, red-faced, as he realized he had just talked himself into a corner. "Because, uh, I thought I would go to Shabbat at temple tonight." He groaned and heaved a big sigh. "I'll call K.P. We can drop Rufus off at her place on the way out." He shrugged. "Now, where did I put my yarmulke?"

Ron was heartbroken when he arrived at Kim's house, and he waved a tearful farewell. "Away from Rufus and my best friend. It's too much!"

Kim patted him on the back. "Turn down the drama, Ron. It's only for two hours. If I log onto Everlot with my computer, Rufus will be a happy camper."

Still, Ron looked rather desolate as he got back in his family's car, and rode away.

"The kid sure has withdrawal issues," Shego said. She was at the house, as she had been the previous two evenings. Kim had asked Shego to teach her more about clothes and fashion, but in reality, Kim wanted to monitor Shego every minute in case she were tempted to do evil again.

Kim shrugged as she held Rufus, and they walked up to Kim's bedroom. "Yeah, but it's easy to see why. You've just got to love Rufus."

"Well, points for finding the most exotic pet imaginable." Shego glanced at Kim. "You do know that your blond friend is doing better in math."

Kim set Rufus before her computer so he could play Everlot, she sat in the computer chair, and Shego flopped in Kim's beanbag seat. "Really?" Kim asked. "You mean when _Rufus_ was in genius mode, and did all of Ron's homework."

"No, no. That was a long time ago. I mean, Ron was doing a lot better just today. I taught him how to plot a graph from an equation."

Kim's eyes widened. "He did _that?_"

"Well, they were simple equations--"

"Still, that's like next level stuff for someone like Ron. How did you ever . . .?"

"I dunno. I guess I just put it all in terms he can relate. Yeah, I had to break things down into--"

The Kimmunicator beeped within Kim's backpack, which hung from her chair. Kim hesitated for a moment.

Shego looked at her. "That's your nerdicator thingy, isn't it? Well, go answer it."

Kim pulled the device from the sack. "Talk to me, Wade."

"Kim, there's an urgent hit on your web site. The alarm has sounded at the First Bank of Middleton, and it could be somebody's trying to break in from the rooftop. The police can't get to the roof yet, so they need you to check into it."

Kim glanced over to Shego. She was hardly ready to let Shego have the run of Middleton unsupervised while she was away. "Well, Shego, it's mission time. Come with?"

"You're kidding, right? Like I want to get into the hero business again. And, uh, those clothes?"

"You might get a chance to punch somebody out."

Shego leapt to her feet. "Come to think of it, those clothes weren't that bad, after all. Let's go."

Rufus grinned. "Super cool!" He hopped into Kim's pocket.

"Be careful," Kim and Shego said to each other, simultaneously.

Kim answered reflexively, "Jinx, you owe me a soda!"

The two young women blinked.

Shego looked away and nodded. "Yeah, I'll be careful," she finally said.

"Oh, man. If Drakken saw me, he'd have one massive heart attack." Shego was following Kim closely through the dark streets, still in disbelief over putting on her former adversary's clothing and accompanying her on a mission--this time as crime fighter, and not as a criminal. They ran quietly through an arcade, and they arrived at the next block over from the bank. "One thing I noticed when I'm wearing your crazy clothes is that my belly tends to get cold."

Kim ignored Shego's comments, for she stared intently at the skyline above her. "Okay," Kim said, "we'll need to get up to the roof of the building next to the bank." She pulled out her grappling gun, and aimed upward. "Ready?"

Shego balked. "Wait. I have _never_ seen a weirder device than this thing, let alone fired one. It's made from a hair dryer!"

"You've seen this thing in action lots of times. It works just like the grappling guns in your own arsenal. Turn the safety off by flipping the switch to the 'hot' position. Aim a little higher than your target, and squeeze the trigger gently. Be careful, or you'll fire too early. Oh, and the torque makes the bolt veer slightly to the right. That is, if the tip is set center. You can adjust the tip to make the bolt hook either right or left. Look up at that catwalk, there." She pointed to a steel walkway that hung between the two buildings, about fifty feet above them. "Ready for this? Aim just above the railing, and fire."

They both fired their guns, and the two grappling hooks wrapped themselves around the railing of the catwalk.

"Now wait until you try _this_," Kim said. "Hold the gun firmly with both hands. Don't let go! Carefully flip up the switch in back, and squeeze and hold down the trigger. That sets off the power retract, and it'll pull you all the way up to the catwalk. Okay, ready?"

After Kim secured Rufus in her pocket, she retracted her line, and she flew upward. Shego waited for a moment, gulped slightly, and set off her power retract. With a yelp, she was yanked upward after Kim. When Shego reached the top, she somersaulted over the rail to avoid hitting her head on it. She belly flopped hard onto the platform.

Kim watched her with concern. "Are you all right?" She jumped over to help Shego to her feet.

Shego sat up, panting. "That . . . that . . . was the _coolest_ thing I have ever done in my life!" She jumped up giddily. "Can we do that again?"

Kim smirked at her. "You just might get the chance. See--we have to surprise the burglars, so we'd have to swing down into the bank from the skylight." They used their grappling guns to swing across a gap between buildings, until they were on the roof of the bank. They crept closer to the skylight. One of the skylight panels dangled open and rocked gently in the breeze. Kim peered down inside the bank for a few seconds, listening quietly. She set Rufus down, and fumbled for something in her backpack. "I'm going to get a light. I want a closer look at that skylight."

"Well, I can light up my hands--"

"I was thinking more like a flashlight." Kim grinned at Shego as she pulled out what appeared to be a tiny makeup brush. Kim twisted the brush, and it emitted a narrow beam of light. "But thanks, anyway."

Shego shrugged. "It would've saved you batteries," she mumbled.

With her flashlight, Kim inspected the skylight closely. "Ah, ha. No burglars, after all. See that? There are no scratches or anything anywhere on the skylight panel. The wind had simply knocked the bolts loose, and the panel partially fell out."

Shego grinned. "Hey, maybe we could hop down there, grab some loot, and run?" She saw Kim glare at her, and she scowled back. "Oh, c'mon, I was just kidding!"

Kim pulled out her Kimmunicator. "Wade, are you there?"

"Kim, you've reached the bank yet?"

"Yeah, and it's a false alarm. Just a panel on the skylight come loose. I'll be able to repair it in a few--"

Kim stopped and stared. She dropped her hands, and walked slowly towards the edge of the rooftop.

Shego turned to Rufus. "What's with her?"

Rufus shrugged. "Dunno!"

Wade was still on the Kimmunicator. "Uh, Kim? Kim? Are you all right?"

She didn't answer, but stood still, looking at a building across the street from them, and mindlessly pocketed the Kimmunicator. She sighed and smiled sweetly. She gazed upon a large mural that covered the building--a colorful semi-abstract painting.

Shego caught up with her, and looked at the painting. "Well, that's very nice, I suppose. Who painted it?"

Kim wrapped her arms around herself. "Josh Mankey. I can tell it's his style."

Rufus scowled. "Ugh. Mankey."

Shego pursed her lips. "Hey, he can do my living room and kitchen sometime."

"Very funny. You can see he's a really talented artist." Kim turned to walk back to the skylight, but she stumbled on a vent on the rooftop.

"What, does this Josh guy make you lose your concentration?"

Kim scowled. "I am _not_ losing my concentration!" But the instant she said that, she took a misstep and fell onto the platform of an iron fire escape. She rolled down a few metal steps and then off the fire escape, to the pavement, another fifteen feet below. She lay there, motionless.

Rufus looked down from the rooftop, screeched, and ran in circles. Shego looked back momentarily, turned to walk away, then stopped. She sighed, returned to the ledge, and looked down. Rufus chattered excitedly to her.

Shego put her hands to her cheeks. "I know, I know. I'm thinking." She frowned at Rufus. "And I must really be losing it. I'm talking to a _rat!_" She sighed. She then climbed down a fire escape on the side of the building and knelt down next to Kim. Shego rolled her eyes. "Drakken's going to hate me for this."

She grabbed the Kimmunicator from Kim's pants pocket, studied it for a moment, and tried one of the buttons.

Wade's image appeared on the screen, and he looked shocked upon seeing Shego at the other end. "You!"

"Yeah, me. Hey, Mr. Brainiac, Kim fell off the building, and she's down. I know some first aid, but you're not exactly talking to an M.D. here, so you'd better get some help, STAT, like in the form of an ambulance, or something."

Wade looked worried. "Is she all right?"

"Beats me. She's breathing, so she's alive, but she's unconscious. You know where we are, don't you?"

"Tracking the Kimmunicator now. Got a lock on your position. Someone should be there in just a couple of minutes." Wade looked back towards his web-cam and stammered. "Thanks, Shego."

Without another word, Shego clicked the device off. She replaced it in Kim's pocket, then took a deep breath. She studied Kim's face. "You know, I could have finished you," she muttered to the comatose girl. "I could have finished you, returned to Drakken, and then conquered the whole world with him. And there wouldn't have been anyone to stop us." She shook her head. "I passed up a chance to gain the whole world, to spare a seventeen-year-old girl I can't stand. As though that made sense." She sighed, and knelt quietly over Kim until the ambulance came.


	13. Shego Rocks!  Act I, Chapter 12

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks!_

TWELVE

Kim awoke, and gradually realized she lay in bed in a small hospital room. Sitting up slowly, she pressed the remote button on the side of her bed to summon the nurse. Kim held her head, as she still felt slightly dizzy and disoriented.

The nurse poked her head around the door. "Bedpan?"

Kim winced. "No, thanks. What time is it?"

"Ten twenty-two." The nurse stepped in the room. "How do you feel? You need anything for pain or nausea?"

"No, I think I'll be all right. As soon as I get rid of the dogs fighting inside my head. So what's my sitch? Am I going to live through this?"

"Well, the doctor will talk to you about it in a few minutes. You've been asleep for about two hours, but it looks like you got nothing more than a nasty lump on your head. You should be fine and be discharged soon. You're in good hands. Your mother's a world-renowned physician, and she handpicked the doctors to cover you. She's been here most of the evening, and she'll be back shortly." The nurse checked Kim's vitals and jotted down some notes onto a clipboard. "Did you know you have some visitors?"

"Here, now?"

"Yes, there are two people in the waiting room. I'll get them for you, if you like." The nurse left, and a couple of minutes later, Ron stumbled in, smuggling Rufus into the room in his pocket.

Kim smiled. "Ron! Rufus!" She looked around them, to the door, expectantly. "Where's Josh?"

Ron shrugged. "Josh? I have no idea, K.P. Are you okay?" He put his hand on her shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

She slumped back, bitterly disappointed. "Is he coming to see me? Did he call or anything?"

Ron shook his head. "Wade called me immediately after he heard about you, and I got here in a flash. I haven't heard from Josh."

When he saw her sore expression, he continued, "Oh, but there's someone else who's been here since you arrived. She's still here--"

Kim watched Shego walk into the room and sit in the chair next to the bed. "Shego?" Kim was agape. "You're still here? I mean, you stayed with me the whole time?"

Shego crossed her legs and folded her arms. "Well, don't start getting all weird about it. Watching you go to the hospital is sort of like a rubbernecker watching an accident scene. Too good to resist." Shego eyed Kim's hospital gown. "Hey, and there you are, in your new fashion statement. Ooh, and now you get to eat hospital cuisine. Yummy."

"Shego brought you to the hospital," Ron told Kim. "When you fell, she called Wade, and she rode with you in the ambulance."

Kim narrowed her eyes upon her, gazing in wonder. "You did this for me, Shego?" Kim was truly moved. "You went way beyond the call." She turned to Ron. "You should have seen her on our mission. Shego was just great, considering it was her first time."

Squinting possessively, Ron folded his arms. "Oh, really? So, you have another sidekick now? You know I would have joined you, if I had _known_ about it." Ron harrumphed.

Kim glanced at Shego, then looked down. "Confession time." Kim rested her hands in her lap. "For the longest time, Shego, I had nothing but the vilest thoughts about you. I thought you were the rudest, greediest, most uncompassionate thing to ever walk the earth." She leaned over to her. "But I'm seeing a side to you I never thought I'd ever see. You've shown me you can be kind, sweet, and gentle. You are so talented, it just blows my mind."

Shego tried hard to return her gaze. "How can you say that? Look at everything I did to you. I tried to feed you to hungry alligators; I tried to fry you with molten metal. And I dropped you into a giant mixing bowl full of cookie dough and pressed puree. Not to mention all the times I tried to slash you with my claws. I almost made you fall to your death once, when I knocked off your jetpack thingy. Yeah, I said, 'I'm going to cut you off there,' remember that? Do you know what I said when you disappeared in the night below me?" She shifted uncomfortably. "I said, 'So _splat_, already.'"

Kim's smile never faded, and she reached for Shego's hand. "Well, Shego, maybe it's time to let bygones be bygones. I know you won't act like that again. You are _nothing_ like that villain I once knew. The kids in the gym were right. You rock, Shego . . . you _totally_ rock." Kim continued to give Shego a genuine smile, and she looked at her deliberately. "I'm so glad I have you as a friend."

Kim hoped that Shego would glow with appreciation at her words. But instead, Shego stood up and solemnly looked out the window. "Thank you," she said quietly.

Kim was released from the hospital the next morning, and although the hospital physicians wrote a note allowing her time off from school, she nonetheless attended all of her classes the following week.

After lunch on Monday, Ron gave Kim the latest update on her homecoming campaign. He read from a chart as he walked her to her locker. "And, K.P., my opinion polls show Josh Mankey winning Homecoming King by a landslide. I mean, he's got like zero competition. But Homecoming Queen is too close to call. You and Bonnie Rockwaller are in a fifty-fifty dead heat."

Kim frowned. "You've told me Bonnie and I have been at exactly fifty-fifty for thirty days in a row now. Ron, it's a vote for Homecoming Queen, not for President of the United States. So knock it off with the polls."

Still, Kim couldn't help but be anxious about possibly becoming Homecoming Queen, while Josh became King. At Middleton High, the tradition had always been that the Homecoming King and Queen went out to dinner together, and then to the dance. In other words, the winners went out on a pre-arranged date.

And that was not all. At the end of the evening, the Homecoming King and Queen would star in their very own slow dance, which would end with a kiss. The King and Queen would stand out on the dance floor, initiate their kiss, and then other couples would kiss if they so desired. Kim knew that many a First Kiss was stolen on previous homecoming evenings.

Kim laughed as she remembered last year's King and Queen kiss: they looked like a couple of chickens pecking. They probably didn't like each other very much. But Kim swore to herself that if she and Josh were together on that homecoming dance floor, things would be _so_ different this time!

Kim leaned her head against her locker, sighed, and smiled, happily daydreaming about what it would be like to have that special kiss from Josh. Should she be coy or aggressive? She thought it over. _No, no . . . coy is out. That's just not me. Still, I can't be too aggressive_. However, she thought, she was to make it very clear to him as they kissed, how she felt about him: she would wrap her arms around his neck and pull him tightly against her. And she just knew he would respond in kind! All she needed was a chance to be near him. The one sweet little kiss he gave her many months before--when they stood upon her porch at the end of their date--was one thing. But this time she swore she would make her kiss last forever. _Oh, but that kiss will go on and on and on . . ._

"Uh, Kim? K.P.? Are you all right?" Ron waved his hand in front of her eyes, for she looked as though she had been hypnotized. He looked down the hall and saw Josh Mankey leaving a class and walking away from them.

Ron frowned. "K.P., I swear, you're going to have a nervous breakdown if you keep this up. Just go over and talk to him!"

Kim laughed nervously. "Yeah. Yeah. Just go over and talk to him. But wait. He knows I don't take any classes down that hall. Or at least I think he knows. So maybe I could say I have a friend who has a class down there, and I want to meet her. But I don't have any friends in classes down there, do I? That would look so obvious. So maybe . . . so maybe . . ." She looked down the hall and saw Josh had disappeared. She sighed. "So maybe I'm going to be single the rest of my life." She sadly shut her locker, bowed her head, and walked away.

Ron looked to where Josh was last seen, and with a determined look, he ran in that direction. He turned a corner, found Josh, and caught up with him. "Hey, Josh."

Josh smiled calmly, as was his usual demeanor. "Ron! 'Sup?"

"Uh, did you know that I'm helping with a homecoming campaign?"

"Well, no, I hadn't noticed. Good luck with it."

"Uh, looks like you're going to be Homecoming King, eh?"

Josh nodded modestly. "Maybe. If so, that'd be so cool."

"And Bonnie might win Homecoming Queen. So, you won't have to worry about getting a _date_, then." Ron studied his face, waiting for a response.

Josh shrugged, but he held his pleasant expression. "Yeah. Bonnie's cool."

Ron watched him closely, as he added, "But Kim Possible might win it, too, so then you'd have to go with _her_, instead."

Josh's eyes lit up. "Oh, Kim! That'd be spankin'. Yeah, she's really, really nice. And she does the coolest things, too."

Ron waited until Josh walked away, then he turned, sighed in relief, and clenched his fist in jubilation. "Yessss!" He grinned slyly. "Kim," Ron said to himself, "you don't have a thing to worry about." He went back and found Kim, whom he accompanied to her next class, Advanced Choir. Dr. Bravura, the director, greeted them cheerily at the door.

"Kim, I really owe you a favor. What you did was such a blessing, I just can't get over it!"

Kim smiled modestly. "Oh, it's no big, Dr. Bravura. I just love singing."

"No, no, I meant your friend Shego! I put Shego in the Madrigal Choir. Her voice is positively angelic! Thank you, Kim and Ron, for bringing her to me."

Kim and Ron stood agape. They never thought they'd live to hear the words "Shego" and "angelic" in the same sentence. And hadn't Kim tried for three semesters in a row to get into the Madrigal Choir, without success? Kim's countenance fell, for her confidence in her singing had been gaining steadily, at least until now. "Well," she finally said, "I am really happy she's doing fine."

"Oh, Kim!"

Kim turned around, and saw Bonnie strut up to them, waving a newspaper. "What's going, Bonnie?"

Bonnie laughed. "Oh, I just wanted to show you the picture I took for today's school paper. Front page. It's of some geek popping a zit in the school bathroom."

Kim looked at the picture. Sure enough, the caption read, _Mystery Zit Popper--Fashion Queen or Middleton High Loser? You Decide_.

Kim shrugged. "Well, it's not really clear that she's popping a zit. And . . ." She stared at the picture. "Wait a minute. That's _me_ in the picture!"

Bonnie grinned smugly. "Oh, I'm sorry. That was _you?_ Gee, it looks like you'll have to explain that picture to everyone in the school before the homecoming election." Bonnie swaggered down the hall when, to Kim's horror, Kim watched as Josh approached Bonnie from the other direction. "Oh hi, Josh," Bonnie said, her voice saccharine sweet. She wrapped her arm around his, and walked beside him.

Josh appeared surprised, but he still enjoyed the positive attention. "Hey, Bonnie. How's it going?"

Bonnie raised her voice, to make sure Kim heard her. "Oh, it's going great, now that _you're_ here." She glanced back to Kim, laughing haughtily as she watched Kim fume. Bonnie gripped him tighter and rested her head against his arm.

Josh looked puzzled. "Uh, are you feeling okay, Bonnie?"

Bonnie backed off, realizing she was being a little too forward. Still, she had Josh's undivided attention, and she was determined to rub this annoyance in Kim's face. "Walk me to my locker?" She fairly batted her eyes, trying to entice him to flirt with her.

She gracefully opened the latch to her locker. And then she shrieked. An avalanche of garbage cascaded upon her: crumpled up pop cans, old fruit peels, used tissues, and discarded gum and candy rolled out of her locker. Dozens of kids in the crowded hallway gawked at Bonnie, and snickered. Josh himself stifled a laugh and walked away.

Flustered, Bonnie sprinted over to Kim and shook her fist at her. "Kim Possible!" she screamed. "You did this! And I am _not_ going to let you get away with it!"

Kim and Ron exchanged confused looks. Tara, the cheerleader with wavy blonde hair, ran over to Bonnie.

"Bonnie, Kim's innocent," Tara said. "I was in all of Kim's and Ron's classes the entire morning, and neither was ever by your locker."

Bonnie fumed. "Well, whoever did this is going to pay. Pay big time."

Bonnie turned to strut off, but she stepped on a banana peel that had fallen out of her locker, and she slipped and fell directly on her tush. More kids laughed at her, and she growled at them and slunk away.

Ron waved a small digital camera. "Got it all documented, K.P. Guess who's going to be on tomorrow's front page?" He laughed.

Kim looked puzzled at the pile of garbage on the floor. "If I didn't do that and you didn't do that, then who did?"

"Gee, I wonder." They turned and saw Shego standing directly behind them.

"Shego? You? But--"

"I think Little Miss Bonnie's going to be less of a problem from here on out."

Kim thought a moment about the homecoming election, and after Shego's prank, Kim's chances with Josh were now soaring. She was speechless, and her face glowed out of appreciation. "Well, uh . . . I don't know what to say."

"Hey, told you I would help you sometime." Shego smiled broadly, turned, and swaggered off.

Ron accompanied Kim to study hall. She was still glowing, but deep in thought. They sat before a table, and she rested her head in her hands.

She frowned. "I am totally mixed up now. I never thought I'd see the day when Shego would actually stick up for me like that."

Ron nodded. "She _has_ been acting different the past few weeks, hasn't she?"

"I have never seen Shego act like this . . . _ever_. I've never seen her cry, or laugh, or act thrilled about anything as much as I've seen these last few days. What do you think, Ron? It's almost as though she were under some sort of mind control."

"Doubt it, K.P. Otherwise, she'd be grinning stupidly and repeating, 'Yes, Doctor Drakken! Yes, Doctor Drakken! You are very smart and look good in this light!'"

Kim grimaced, covered her face, and peered from between her fingers. "Don't remind me. If you remember, I had to say those things over and over too, and I hated it!" She straightened up and put her hands in her lap. "No, you're right. Shego's not under any mind control. You can tell she's acting on her own."

"She hasn't tried to do anything to you, right? Like, you haven't noticed her following you around or sneaking up on you, have you?"

"No."

"Has she been sarcastic? You know, trying to cut you down or anything?"

"Well, you know Shego. She can't do anything for five minutes without being sarcastic. But for the most part, she's been pretty nice."

"And she hasn't been poking around, like trying to get into your locker, or trying to find out how the Kimmunicator works?"

"No. In fact, she hasn't tried to analyze _any_ of our gadgets. And she's had plenty of chances."

Ron threw up his arms in jubilation. "So, then, we did it! We did it! We got Shego to turn good!"

Kim settled into her seat. "Yeah . . . we did it, didn't we? Shego really is a good person now, isn't she?" She then looked away, bit her lip, and pondered that thought for a long time.

End of Act I


	14. Shego Rocks!  Act II, Chapter 13

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks!_

**Act II**

THIRTEEN

Kim daydreamed.

She stood before her locker, mindlessly loading it with her textbooks before she headed to lunch. After Shego had humiliated Bonnie the day before, Kim knew that the special date with Josh was now within her grasp.

She leaned back against the bank of lockers and visualized herself as Homecoming Queen, wearing the golden tiara. In her dream, Kim wore a beautiful long formal dress of royal blue with gold trim, and she carried a single perfect red rose, which she received from the Homecoming King.

She then saw the Homecoming King approach: he, too, wore a crown and a luxurious blue robe, and he carried a gold scepter. Kim sighed deeply, a satisfied and dreamy expression upon her face, as she reveled in her romantic vision.

The Homecoming King came closer still, until she could discern his face . . . an oval face, topped with blond hair . . . and a face of freckles . . .

Freckles? Kim blinked twice. What was _Ron_ doing in her daydream? _Get out of my daydream, Ron!_

Then she envisioned something even stranger. Rufus sat inside Ron's pocket, and he, too, was decked out in some sort of medieval-looking costume.

_Okay, that's it! I'm ending this dream right now! This is getting way too weird._

Kim snapped out of her daydream and, with a sour look upon her face, continued with her business. She saw Ron out of the corner of her eye. "Quit spoiling my fun!" she barked at him, and she turned around in a huff, leaving behind a befuddled Ron scratching his head.

He called as he caught up with her. "Hey, K.P.! Bonnie is slipping in the polls. She's four points down, after what happened yesterday."

"And just how many people do you ask in your so-called polls? Two? Three?"

"K.P., I am a man who learns from his past mistakes. I read a book on statistics."

"And you actually understood it?"

"Well, it was the comic book version, but yeah, I got the gist of it. I telephoned one hundred random students. I used a pay phone and disguised my voice so they wouldn't hang up on me before I even got the question out. And I actually got real answers from all of them! The book says the margin of error is plus or minus eight percent. That part I don't get."

Kim looked surprised. "So you actually did scientific polls?" Then she slouched, downcast. "The margin of error means that Bonnie might actually be ahead." She sighed and clutched her notebook to her chest. "Oh, man. Two more weeks before I find out. Two more weeks." She looked up to him suddenly. "What about Josh?"

"Josh's closest competition is Brick Flagg, and Brick is thirty points behind. The voters see him as old hat."

"So Josh's lead is way outside the margin of error."

"Yeah, so unless Josh crashes and burns heinously next week, the crown is his."

Kim closed her eyes. _Oh, please let it be true . . . please!_ she thought to herself.

They thought they heard music coming from down the hallway. They turned the corner and saw Shego playing a sweet, yet hauntingly sad piece at a concert grand piano on the stage in the school's auditorium. A handful of student admirers had gathered around the piano, some of them resting their heads upon their hands, absorbing the sound.

Ron grinned at Shego. "Classical music? You? Who'd a thunk?"

"What is that?" Kim asked Shego. "That's really beautiful."

Shego nodded. "It's the Chopin piece I told you about. _Prelude in D-flat_. Also known as the 'Raindrop Prelude.'"

The lilting emotion of the performance stirred Kim almost to tears. "My gosh, Shego, you would have just blown _all_ of us away at the talent show."

A few more kids gathered around the piano, and a few others sat in the orchestra of the auditorium. Some of the girls looked dreamy-eyed while listening to the romantic piece.

"I think I'm going to cry," Ron said. He turned away, sobbing. Rufus shared a hankie with him.

"I really love this," Kim said. "But do you have anything more--"

Shego grinned. "I know just what you're thinking."

Shego shifted her posture and jammed a classic rock 'n' roll tune. The students in the auditorium suddenly perked up, beginning to dance to her music. Curious students from the halls began pouring into the auditorium, and the mood became quite festive. Even Ron and Rufus started to groove to the music. Kim considered joining in with them, but by now the entire student body was flooding into the auditorium, and people pushed themselves in front of Kim. She felt herself being swept away by a sea of bodies, and she lost sight of Ron. After struggling against the tide of people, Kim finally made it to the rear exit. By this time, five hundred kids had packed the place, spontaneously dancing to the beat.

Kim turned around to look back to the stage. Shego was still jamming on the piano. But more importantly, Kim saw Josh Mankey, seated right next to Shego, playing along with her. Josh and Shego laughed as they continued their duet. Kim couldn't remember an occasion when she had seen him have such a good time.

Kim sighed. "I have _so_ got to win that date with Josh!"

Later in the day, Kim caught up with Shego on the way to class. "Your music was just amazing! I ought to take up piano, too."

Shego nodded. "Thanks. Although, if you remember, singing was more handy for you against Drakken. You can't break six feet of ice by playing a piano."

As the two passed in the hall, other students turned around and eagerly waved to them. "Hi, Kim. _Oh, hi, Shego!_ Shego, how's it going?" Kim was amazed and happy at all the positive attention Shego was beginning to accumulate.

They came by Mr. Barkin. "Hi, Mister Barkin," they both greeted.

Mr. Barkin stopped in his tracks. "Why, if it isn't the perfect, straight-A model student . . ."

Kim glowed. "Why, thank you--"

Barkin scowled. "I didn't mean you, Possible." He turned to Shego. "I meant this glorious, gifted person right here. Shego, you've been the talk of the faculty ever since you first walked through the door. You're the greatest student here since Justine Flanner."

"Why thank you, Mister Barkin."

Barkin looked totally captivated by the black-haired girl. "Oh, you can just call me St . . . uh, Mister Barkin."

Kim fumed quietly while Shego flirted with Barkin. She told herself not to be too upset with Shego, for Shego had a huge head-start on her, and who could fault her for trying her best in class?

"Shego, would you do the honor of tutoring the study hall students?" Mr. Barkin asked.

"Sure, my pleasure." Shego turned to Kim. "Hey, I'll see you after school, okay?" Barkin escorted her away, leaving Kim standing alone in the hall. Kim held her books to her chest as she watched the two strut to study hall.

Kim dressed for cheerleading practice after school, and she carried her clipboard to the gym floor. She was more than mildly surprised to see Shego follow her out of the locker room. "Shego? Uh, what are you doing here?"

Shego was dressed in a Mad Dog cheerleader's outfit, and she carried a blue duffel bag and a pair of gold-colored pom-poms. She gave Kim a facetious scowl. "Well, thanks for the warm welcome. I thought it'd be cool to finally join a cheerleading squad. Missed it the first time around. And what better way to show up this Bonnie Rockwaller than for me to get on the cheer squad and team up with you? She'll be lost in no time, trust me."

Kim was incredulous. "Oh? Do you even know the first thing about cheerleading, Shego?"

"You could say I dabbled in it. I never made my high school squad, only because I had so much else going on. But I still remember a thing or two." She looked around the gym. "So, what do I need to do?"

"Endure Bonnie. Beyond that, act like you know what you're doing at all times. Impressions are everything."

Ron was about five minutes late, as was the norm, and he scrambled in. He struggled to get his arms into the sleeves of his blue mascot sweater while he carried the massive latex bulldog head under his arm. He tripped over himself and landed, sprawling, on the gymnasium floor. The mascot head landed squarely upon his own.

Bonnie frowned at him. The other cheerleaders giggled lightly, and Kim looked on in mild amusement. Kim went over to Ron and, in mock charity, squatted down and offered her hand. "May I have this dance, sir?"

Ron was slow to respond. He shook his masked head, groaning.

"If you're dead, Ron, just let me know."

Ron mumbled something unintelligible from within the thick mask. Kim couldn't tell if it was a heartfelt thank you or something sarcastic, but she helped him to his feet nonetheless.

Bonnie caught sight of Shego, and she rolled her eyes. "Kim, is this supposed to be a joke? Like, _another_ one of your friends trying to get on the squad?"

"Well, uh . . . Shego has great potential. She deserves an audition, Bonnie." Kim sighed, knowing she was taking a huge risk. Shego was great at leaping, but beyond that, Kim had no idea if she was prepared for the rigors of cheerleading. And what just happened with Ron was embarrassing enough.

"Well, then, _I'll_ handle her try-out. You'd just go easy on her, Kim, just to get her onto the team." Bonnie smirked. "All right, Shego amigo, I'd like to see your moves. Let's see if you can handle _this_: start over there. Do a flip-flop, double nine, front hurdler, toe touch, right side hurdler, toe touch, and aerial. Go to the opposite corner, and give me a cartwheel, toe touch, right side hurdler, left side hurdler, toe touch, and pike. Come back to center and do a round-off, whip right herkie, left herkie, toe touch, and layout. You got all that?"

Shego grinned and nodded. "Gotcha, chief."

Kim was amazed at Shego's coolness. Just one of those routines would make for an exhausting audition. Bonnie had assigned _three_.

Shego took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment, as if meditating. She then proceeded to do a series of leaps, back handsprings, and flips, with such amplitude that the entire cheer squad stared, agape. She concluded with a stylish pirouette, and landed, arms outstretched, with the grace of a ballerina.

Everyone was speechless.

Kim finally spoke. "Not only is she good enough to make the team, but I have to admit, she's better than any of us." She looked a little apprehensive. "But the school rule is clear: no more than eight on the varsity squad at a time. Which means that one of us will have to be cut."

Bonnie grinned devilishly. "Oh, are you volunteering?"

Kim folded her arms. "I don't think so, _Bonnie_. We'll . . . we'll have to take a vote on this." She sighed. "I'll get some paper . . ."

Shego put her hands on Kim's and Bonnie's shoulders. "Oh, don't worry about that now. I'm just happy to make the team. Why don't you wait until after homecoming to decide?"

Kim blinked. "Are you sure, Shego? I'd have thought you'd be anxious to get started."

"Oh, I insist. Everybody on the squad should give the matter a lot of thought, and then decide on the cut this time next week." Shego pulled Kim aside. "I kind of see what you mean about Bonnie, but she's not too bad. You just have to humor her. You know, stroke her ego."

Kim shrugged. "With an ego as big as hers, you'd need a garden rake."

When cheerleading practice concluded, Shego jubilantly waved to Kim and Ron as they left the school grounds. Shego looked around the schoolyard, noticing that the place was just about deserted, and she frowned, for her ride home was late.

Ten minutes later, a vehicle that looked more rocket ship than car pulled up next to her. Doctor Drakken got out of the car, and smiled to her sheepishly.

Shego fumed at Drakken. "Why were you late? You've got an X-L turbo, capable of one hundred ninety-seven miles per hour!"

"I got stopped by a train."

Shego rolled her eyes. "Maybe you could go _around_ the train, next time? Or fly over it, or something?"

"You'll forgive me soon enough, Shego, when I show you what this baby can do. Get in, and fasten your seatbelt."

Shego plopped down in the passenger seat. Drakken jumped in, strapped on a pair of goggles, and grinned giddily. The side doors shut automatically, and the vehicle whined with a sound similar to a jet.

"Now, watch this," Drakken said. He pushed a red button on the dash panel. They heard a whirring sound, and the machine sprayed washer fluid all over the windshield.

Drakken grumbled. "No, I meant this one." He pressed a blue button nearby. That prompted the side windows to roll down, and then up again.

Shego yawned. "Just let me know when I'm supposed to get excited."

Drakken gnashed his teeth out of frustration. "Oh, now. Which one was it?" He pushed buttons wildly. The car alarm sounded, a toilet in the back seat flushed, and a rubber chicken fell into Shego's lap.

She glared at him. "Want me to drive?"

"Now, I'm in control, Shego." He pushed one last button, and the car took off. The two screamed, for the acceleration created a force of half a dozen Gs.

When they recovered, Shego shook her head. "Next time, we take the sports car, okay?"

"So, how do you like this new role you're playing? You know, as one of the dopey normal people."

Shego sighed. "Yeah, my new role. High school kid and rah-rah cheerleader and all. It stinks."

"But you're willing to live with it."

"For as long as necessary, Doctor D. For as long as necessary." She noticed his mirthful expression. "Oh, you're just loving this, aren't you? If you breathe a word of this to the villain magazines--"

"Oh, this is just too delicious!" Drakken looked at her with mock sympathy. "Poor, poor Shego. You have to do a lot of pretending, eh?"

Shego thought for a moment. "Yeah, there's a lot of pretending, but not as much as I once thought. Getting Kim Possible to open up wasn't too hard. I just talked about some of my stupid past, and she was like nothing ever happened. Yeah, she's pretty soft, given the right circumstances. And to be frank, I'm starting to get used to her." She looked out the window. "The big day is coming up fast, isn't it?"

"Well, only if _you_ can make it happen, eh, Shego?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Things are starting to look up for me now."

The following day, the moment arrived that Kim had been anticipating--the announcement of the winners of the homecoming election. Last period was cancelled for all students, in favor of a homecoming pep rally--a huge assembly in the high school gym. Brick Flagg and all the other football players were announced and applauded. The King and Queen were next on the agenda.

The gym was packed. Several faculty members, including Mr. Barkin, sat upon a large platform placed in the center of the basketball court. Kim sat with Ron on the front row of the bleachers, right next to the platform. Monique sat just to Ron's right, Josh sat about fifteen yards off to the center, and Shego sat at a considerable distance behind all of them, looking somewhat bored with all of this. There was little room to spare, for the bleachers overflowed with students, all chattering in anticipation.

Bonnie strutted over to Kim. "Well, Kim, ready to face humiliating defeat?" She sniffed and tossed her hair.

Despite Bonnie's haughty façade, Kim could tell that she was in knots over the upcoming decision as well. "Well, Bonnie, we'll see what happens. Maybe I won't be the one who will lose face."

Since there was little other choice of seating, Bonnie rolled her eyes, and took a place next to her rival. Monique, Ron, Rufus, Kim, and Bonnie were packed tightly together, and the minutes crawled by, ever too slowly for the five of them.

Ron couldn't help but stare at the crowns resting upon miniature royal blue and gold pillows, lying on a table on the platform. "Whoa . . . look at those! One thing's for sure: they didn't just grab those up at Smarty Mart."

Everybody hushed as Mr. Barkin stood up to make the announcement. He held up the first envelope, and he looked to the crowd sternly. "All right. Listen up, people. Here is the winner of the Homecoming King election." He opened the envelope, and read the paper. "This year's Homecoming King will be . . . Josh Mankey!"

Kim's heart leaped. _Josh won! Josh won!_ She felt herself involuntarily jumping for joy. She rejoiced to Ron below her, "He did it! He won!" She then noticed Bonnie was on her feet as well. They glared at each other for a moment and sat back down.

Amid cheers and whistles, Josh came down to the platform, where the title, crown, and royal cloak awaited him. Most guys thought it silly to wear a crown, but Josh didn't mind it a bit. It actually looked very stylish on him, and among peals of laughter from the student body, he hammed it up in his costume. Kim smiled broadly as she watched Josh show off, and she thought she even saw him wink at her.

It would be only a few moments now. The Queen's tiara still lay there on the table, without an owner. Kim's heart began to beat faster.

Mr. Barkin stepped up to the microphone again. He had in his hand the envelope with the name of the Homecoming Queen. He opened the envelope, and prepared to read the results.

"Oh, please, let it be Kim," Ron pleaded, under his breath. "Let it be Kim. Not Bonnie. Kim . . . Kim . . . Kim . . . oh, please!"

Rufus, waving a tiny pennant, jumped up and down on Ron's knee, chanting, "Kim! Kim! Kim!"

Monique held her breath, silent. She placed her hands over her face, peering between her fingers.

Kim sat, her heart pounding hard, suddenly terrified at the thought of Bonnie having that slow dance, the kiss, and the whole evening--with Josh. At the same time, the prospect of Kim having Josh all to herself for an entire night made her want to cry for joy. The suspense gnawed at her, and she felt as though her whole insides would burst. She looked over to Bonnie, who tried her best to keep her composure. But Kim could tell that Bonnie, too, was in agony from the suspense. It was impossible for them to make eye contact.

In what seemed like years to Kim, Mr. Barkin pulled the paper from the envelope. He unfolded it, and prepared to read the name.

Then, suddenly, Mr. Barkin stopped and stared at the paper. With a puzzled expression upon his face, he turned to some of the members of the faculty behind him. He whispered something to them, showing them the paper. Three of the faculty examined it, and they seemed to nod affirmatively at whatever it was Mr. Barkin was asking.

Kim's heart skipped a beat. What could have been wrong? Could she have been disqualified? Did something happen to Bonnie? _What? What? What?_ Kim pleaded, in her mind.

Mr. Barkin returned to the microphone. "Uh, people . . . we have a historic decision here. For the first time ever, a write-in candidate has won the Homecoming Queen election. And that candidate is . . . Shego!"

The crowd in the gymnasium went wild, and in unison, the student body leaped to its feet. Whistles, cheers, and mad applause rocked the building. The students began chanting, "Shego rocks! Shego rocks!"

Kim, Ron, Rufus, Monique, and Bonnie just sat there, stunned, for five whole minutes.

Finally, Bonnie jumped up, and she burned with rage. "It's--it's not fair!" She threw her arms down, clenched her fists, and whipped around to bellow at Kim and her friends. "It's not fair!"

Kim was so lost in her own emotions, she never even heard Bonnie. Kim slowly bowed over, looked down, and pounded her fists into her forehead, stifling a scream. How could this happen?

The decision appeared to have caught Shego off-guard, as well. She looked up suddenly, as if she were awakened from slumber. She smiled sheepishly and waved, not sure what to do next, until Josh climbed the bleachers to her and offered his hand to escort her to the platform. Amid the deafening applause, she stood up slowly and walked down the steps, ever so gracefully, gripping the arm of her escort.

Tears rimmed Kim's eyes as she watched. She couldn't help but think that it could have been _her_ on Josh's arm. By this time, Bonnie had thrown a tantrum and run out of the gym. Kim, however, decided to brave it out, even though her heart was now broken in pieces. Ron scarcely knew how to react, or what to say to Kim, for he had never seen his friend hurt so deeply. He thought it best to stay silent, but he gave Kim a gentle tap on the knee to let her know he was still with her.

Shego soon made it to the platform. She smiled gently as Josh received the tiara from Mr. Barkin and placed it upon her head. Then Josh and Shego turned, and arm-in-arm, and faced the bleachers. The crowd roared loudly. The sound reminded Kim and Ron of when the Mad Dogs upset Upperton High at the buzzer at last year's regional basketball semifinals.

Kim, overwhelmed, put her hands to her face and fell over into her lap. And tears began to escape from between her fingers.


	15. Shego Rocks!  Act II, Chapter 14

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks!_

FOURTEEN

"Well, what are you saying? That she _cheated?_" Ron was perplexed at Kim's attitude.

Kim had just run out of the gymnasium and hid herself in a vacant classroom, whereupon she vented her frustration to Ron. She couldn't imagine Shego achieving anything, even a Homecoming Queen title, without resorting to some sort of fraud. "She _had_ to."

"I can't believe this is you I'm hearing. It sounds more like Bonnie Rockwaller."

She glared at him. "Whatever. But I can't understand how she could have won."

"What can I say? She's totally badical. Everybody likes her. Is that such a crime? Hey, I kind of like her, too."

"_Ron!_"

"Well, not in _that_ way. But she won, fair and square. Are you going to let your pride get the better of you, or are you going to congratulate her?" He gestured to the door. Without speaking, she went out ahead of Ron over to the platform, where Shego was still standing, surrounded by well-wishers.

Kim approached her, and with as much of a smile as she could manage, held out her hand. "Hey, Shego. Congrats!"

Shego's eyes lit up, and she leaned forward to give the cheerleader a hug. "Kim! I've got to thank you! If it weren't for your help--you know, introducing me to everybody--I wouldn't have won!"

Kim looked a few feet beyond Shego, and noticed Josh hanging with some of his friends, too. It had been months since Kim had been this close to Josh. He noticed her stare.

"Kim? Hey, Kim." he said, grinning over to her.

"Josh . . . uh, hi." Kim felt her heart pounding. "So, you're really there. King, I mean. I mean, you're Homecoming King, there."

Josh looked puzzled at what Kim was trying to say. Ron and Shego watched her, too, for she looked like she was about to fall over like a canvas bag full of rags.

Josh looked at Kim sympathetically. "Hey, sorry the Homecoming Queen thing didn't work out for you."

"Yeah, well . . . you know. I mean . . ." Kim still fought for words. "Still, it's so great that you're there . . . and you have that . . . that . . . that thing on your head, and look! You've got a . . . a blue thingy to wear . . . and . . ."

Silently, Kim wished she could just melt into the gymnasium floor. Yet there was no force of nature that could possibly tear her away from Josh. Not now.

Shego cleared her throat, and smiled to him. "So, you're Josh. Kim's told me about you."

Josh grinned back. "You're a friend of Kim's? Didn't know. Hey, nice jamming with you on the piano the other day, by the way."

Shego shrugged. "Nah, it's nothing. I used to do gigs at some of the local clubs in Go City, but I'm a bit rusty these days."

Josh's eyes grew. "You did club gigs? Hey, how'd you land those? Wow! And you're from Go City? They make the best pizza in the world there. I've got an aunt who lives in Go City."

"Yeah? We used to live in a high-rise flat on an island near the waterfront. Got to be way cold January and February, though. And too much snow. One snowfall covered up all the cars in the streets. The only thing you could see were the antennas sticking up from the drifts."

Josh rolled his eyes. "Oh, so I heard. My aunt told me it was two full weeks before she could even get to her car. So, what do you want to do when you get out of high school?"

Shego smiled. "Oh, I think I'll be ready to conquer the world."

Josh chuckled. "Yeah, me too. But I can't decide whether to stick with art and music, or do something more practical. I'll probably end up going into pre-med at Tri-City State University."

"Ooh, a doctor, eh? Then tell me, doc, I've been having such strange headaches lately. I don't know what's been happening to me. It's like I've been getting a throbbing pain."

"Migraines?"

"Well, no." She rubbed the back of her head. "I think it's because I have a lump here on the back of my head."

"Well, here . . . let me feel." He ran his hand across her ear, and under her hairline, to where she indicated. He pushed his fingers around the back of her head gently, searching for anything extraordinary. "I don't feel anything--"

"A little higher."

"Still, I don't . . ." He continued to stroke the back of her head, noticing the softness of her skin, and the silkiness of her long, black hair through his fingers.

Almost purring, Shego closed her eyes and bowed her head. "That feels good." She then looked up to him, gazing into his eyes. He now found her brown eyes to be sweet and alluring, and he returned her gaze.

Kim, watching all of this unfold, was almost beside herself in alarm. Something inside her compelled her to break up this sudden development. "Oh, look! Uh, they're going to close up the gym. I guess we'd . . . uh, we'd better go before they lock us all up in here." She forced a laugh.

Josh and Shego's eyes never left each other's gaze. "Hear that?" Josh asked Shego. "They're going to lock us in here."

Shego simply nodded. "Uh-huh. Good."

But no one moved. Josh and Shego appeared to be fixed in a trance-like state.

Kim felt her whole body tense up, and her insides seemed as though they were ready to spill out of her body. She fought to keep herself from screaming. She ran to the nearest door, the fire exit, slammed against the break-bar, flung the door open, and threw herself outside. Her momentum slung her headfirst to the ground, and she lay there, struggling to channel her emotions, while the fire alarm bell rang loudly in her ears.

For a time, she felt as though she would throw up, and later she hoped she would cry, but nothing came of it. She was beyond crying--she felt as though someone had swung a sledgehammer straight into her gut.

Ron was hot on her heels, and he ran to her side. "K.P.! K.P.! Are you all right? What happened?"

Kim could barely breathe. "Did you see them? Did you see?" she bellowed. "It's like . . . it's like . . . they're in love with each other or something! How can they do this? How can Shego do this to me?" She pounded the ground, moaning. "How can _Josh_ do this to me?"

Ron stared at Kim. "Still crushing on him?"

Kim was relieved as her tears finally started flowing. "Oh, _yeah_." And she cried into her hands.

"It was just a tad obvious."

After school, Ron rushed directly to Kim's house. She had skipped cheerleading practice, and he knew she needed someone for support. He found her upstairs in her bedroom, flopped on her beanbag chair, hugging her telephone receiver. Monique was concerned about Kim too, and she called from her job at Club Banana. Ron could tell that Monique offered some consoling words, but Kim was still visibly upset.

After Kim turned off the phone, she looked away. "This has _so_ not been my day today. First Bonnie, and now _Shego_ is after Josh? Ohh . . . and what's up with that? She knows I've been crushing on him, like, forever. She should know better." Kim sighed. "She's not such a good friend after all."

Ron nodded sympathetically. "Both of us are having a totally bogus day. My date choices are now down to Cheryl Johnson . . ." He made a face. "And Bonnie Rockwaller. And you know the odds of my landing a date with Bonnie, unless I had millions of dollars or something."

She looked up. "They're the only ones left? Didn't you ask Tara? She's really sweet."

Ron sighed. "Tara already has a date."

"What about Zita Flores? She's always liked you."

"Unavailable. Everlot convention."

"Amelia?"

"Took a while to track her down at college. She said something about having to wash her hair."

"So, the great Ron date hunt didn't pan out, after all."

"I've asked fourteen girls, and they all turned me down. You can laugh all you want."

Kim bowed her head. "I'm hardly in any position to laugh at you."

Ron paused for a moment. "Well, _we_ can go," he said casually. "We can hit Bueno Nacho, go to the dance, and then catch some video games afterward."

She sighed. "Yeah, I suppose it's best." If only it were Josh, and a fancy restaurant instead. Bueno Nacho with Ron seemed a poor substitute at the time. Despairing, she flopped back on her beanbag chair again. She turned her head and sighed once more. She opened her eyes and noticed a tiny black object against the wall behind her computer desk. She crawled over and picked it up. "What's this?"

Ron shrugged. "Dried up banana peel? Dead cockroach?"

Kim frowned. "No, this is made of plastic. And it's sealed; it looks like an electronic device. I wonder if someone's spying on me."

"Well, didn't Wade make your room bug-proof?"

"Yes, but you know the tweebs. They're quite capable of working around Wade's technology. I think I'd better have Wade check this out."

The homecoming weekend began with the annual football game; this year, the Middleton Mad Dogs hosted the Lowerton Lemurs. The stands were filled with spectators that bright Saturday, who were all buzzing in eager anticipation of the day's events. Even Ron, who normally would not relish sharing a football field with a team whose mascot was a lemur, paraded in happily.

As did most everyone on the Middleton sidelines, Ron and Rufus certainly enjoyed themselves while they cheered on their team. Ron performed his ever-popular Mad Dog mascot routine, including spraying the fans with fake spittle made of banana-flavored whipped cream. He was especially perky today because he knew that he would not be alone at the dance. His all-time best friend would join him. And there she stood, just a few yards from him, amid a pack of joyously rowdy cheerleaders.

Kim, however, looked strangely tired; she didn't perform with the same pep and zeal as the others. She spent most of the afternoon resting on the bench. Whenever Middleton made a great play, the other cheerleaders screamed and jumped with delight, but Kim barely cracked a smile. And when the squad formed pyramids, which always featured Kim on top, Kim was barely able to keep her balance. A couple of times, she almost fell over, a mishap that would have created an avalanche of bodies. Bonnie often shot Kim ugly stares, to which Kim could only look back sheepishly and shrug.

Bonnie went back to the cheerleaders' lineup at the edge of the field, cheering the team on with gusto. Kim noticed that Bonnie had completely shaken off her disappointment from the other day and was having a wonderful time. Kim silently wondered why she wasn't able to do the same.

Middleton scored first in the game, and they played magnificently through the first half. Their defense held the Lemurs' offense to only thirty-eight total yards, and the Mad Dogs led at halftime, 14-3.

As the football teams headed to their locker rooms, the halftime festivities began, first with a pom-pom dance routine by the cheerleaders. Ron watched Kim, puzzled, for she appeared to perform half-heartedly, merely going through the motions of the routine. When they finished, and Kim sloughed over to the sidelines, he approached her. "What gives, K.P.? You look tired."

Scowling, she flopped to the ground, wrapped her arms around her legs, and pushed her face against her knees. "I just want to get through today. Maybe if things go by real fast, I'll just forget everything by Monday."

Next on the halftime agenda was a celebration of alumni. A bearded alumnus drove a pickup truck around the field, and a number of Middleton High alumni hopped on it and waved to the bleachers, all while the marching band played some silly oom-pah tune.

Finally, the Homecoming King and Queen were introduced. The ushers led Shego and Josh from the stands, and they walked hand-in-hand to the center of the field. They turned and waved to the stands, where everyone stood and cheered them.

The announcer boomed again. "Let's welcome the runners-up of the homecoming election: Brick Flagg, Bonnie Rockwaller, and Kim Possible."

Brick was unable to join them, as he was in the locker room with his team, but Bonnie eagerly bounced out onto the field, even high-fiving Shego as she took her spot. The crowd cheered Bonnie, too.

The ushers motioned Kim to walk to the center of the field to join Josh and Shego. Kim wiped the tears from her face, and she smiled, as a hush fell upon the crowd. She smiled, walked slowly to the middle of the field and joined the others, amid tepid applause. Josh and Shego gleefully embraced before trotting off the field to sit together on the bleachers.

After what seemed an eternity, Kim left the field. Silently, she grabbed Ron by the arm, and she led him to a secluded spot behind the grandstand, whereupon she immediately melted into tears. "I've lost him, haven't I? And why doesn't Shego just leave him alone? Oh, me and my stupid crush. I should have just gone up to him and said, 'Hey Josh, I've had the biggest crush on you for the longest time, so please kiss me and say you love me.' Why didn't I say that to him, Ron? I could have said that for three years, and I never did. Why? How is it I can defuse a nuclear weapon or climb Mount Everest, but I can't say one simple phrase to someone I really care about? What is wrong with me?" She covered her face with her hands. "What is wrong?"

"There's nothing wrong with you, K.P." He wrapped his arms around her, and she cried into his chest.

Middleton continued to dominate the game, scoring two more touchdowns and a field goal, and they easily defeated Lowerton, and Brick Flagg had thrown for more than one hundred yards. The final score: Middleton 31, Lowerton 10. But Kim was oblivious to any of this, for she spent the afternoon grieving. Although she was chairperson of the Homecoming Decorating Committee, Kim was too depressed to hang decorations at the fine banquet hall at the Middleton Grand Hotel. Bonnie, ever eager to jump into Kim's place, took over the leadership.

Drakken was performing repairs in a back room of his mobile lair fashioned out of a large RV. He heard a noise, and he popped his head around the corner, to find that Shego had let herself in. She was already dressed in her formal evening gown for the homecoming dance.

"Shego?" Drakken blinked and did a double take. "You look like a debutante."

"Say what?"

"Or worse--you look like a dark-haired Kim Possible in a formal dress." He returned to the back of the RV.

"Oh, now you're _really_ hitting below the belt. It's hard enough wearing these dorky clothes, with these wimpy-looking colors."

"Dorky clothes? That's Club Banana, your favorite." Drakken popped his head out one more time, raised his eyebrows, and grinned at her broadly. "Actually, I kind of like it."

"Get back in there!" Shego stormed.

Drakken retreated to the room again. "I've been needing your help around here."

"You're going to try to take over the world with a mobile home?"

"No, but I need it to stay in, while I sit around, waiting for _you_. And nothing works. Augh! That's the last time I get a second-hand mobile lair. This is terrible. It's slipshod, that's what it is!" Drakken sighed. "I'm trying to get the float device on the lever bar to work in this contraption, and it keeps coming loose and falling down!"

"Oh, n-n-n-n-no. I am _not_ going to help you fix your toilet again. I'm here to tell you that things are going fine; I'm going to the high school dance tonight. I was elected Homecoming Queen."

Drakken looked out again, grinned, and raised his eyebrows. "And you want me to be your date?"

"Very funny. I already have one."

"Well, you be sure to be home by ten, dear," Drakken said, snickering.

Shego groaned. "Oh, you think this is so funny, don't you?"

"Not really. How long are you going to do your high school shtick? And this bargain you made with Kim Possible . . . it's like I don't have an assistant anymore!"

"Well, I'm still on your payroll, aren't I? For now, I can do _un_-villainy sorts of things."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I can . . . well, I can clean your ashtrays."

"I don't have any ashtrays."

"That'll make the job that much easier. I can . . . wash your socks, or something." She made a face. "Wait . . . scratch that."

"Oh, so Cinderella has decided to become my laundry maid! How useful." He threw up his hands. "And now, she's off to her ball. Oh, this is all so unfair . . ."

Shego rolled her eyes. "And . . . cue the ranting."

"How am I supposed to conquer the world when my assistant is off gallivanting all over--"

She put her hands up to reassure him. "Doctor D! Doctor D! It's not like I'm moving to Norway, or something. Just chill. You can still make your plans to conquer the world and stuff. And I can still come by, just as long as it doesn't interfere with my extracurricular activities. And so far, this arrangement has been working out just great."


	16. Shego Rocks!  Act II, Chapter 15

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks!_

FIFTEEN

It was just a little while before the homecoming dance. Ron knew Kim would be in a pensive mood, so he took pains to be on his best behavior that evening. No gags; no weird stuff; Rufus kept close and subdued. Ron slicked his hair back and combed it neatly; he even wore dress shoes with his tuxedo. All in all, he actually looked quite dapper.

He came for Kim at her house. At first, he was afraid the formality would unnerve her parents--especially her father--for they still had an aversion to Kim going out with "boys." Instead, he learned they were delighted that Kim was going with him to the dance. He figured her parents just couldn't get past their vision of Kim and Ron together as toddlers, and that tonight would merely be a more sophisticated version of those events.

Kim came down the stairs to greet him. She was the very model of a princess; she wore the dress she had selected ages before, for this very occasion: a strapless satin gown of two-tone blue with golden highlights. With it she wore a pair of long, white gloves, blue slippers, and a gold chain necklace. And, for her friend, she wore a smile, too, though she scarcely felt motivated to do so.

The hotel was easily within walking distance, so they made their way on foot. Ron sniffed the air. "Mmm. You smell those fall flowers, K.P.?"

"Ron, I think that's my perfume." She plodded ahead wistfully. It was the same perfume she had on during her last date with Josh.

"Well, this night is the rockin'est!" He was beside himself with glee. "I'm ready for the music, the snackage, the boogying . . ."

She sighed. "Sorry if I seem like a stick-in-the-mud, but no Bueno Nacho tonight; I just can't eat anything right now. I'm not going to be much in the mood for dancing, either."

He shrugged. "Hey, that's all right, Kim. We can just hang."

He watched her with concern as they made their way inside the convention center. The dance was held in very large carpeted hall, adorned with crystal chandeliers and huge French windows. As they walked in, they saw a bandstand to their left, and straight to the back a long buffet table. About two dozen large, round tables surrounded the parquet dance floor. Kim sighed as she saw two special chairs, fashioned to look like thrones, upon a designated spot on the bandstand.

The place was relatively quiet since the live band had not yet arrived, although they could hear the expected murmur of conversation.

Kim was lost in thought as she looked around the place, and Ron caught her attention. "Um, K.P.?" He reached inside his coat and brought out a small, golden cardboard box adorned with a red bow, and held it for her to take.

"What is this?"

"It's for you. Special, for the occasion."

Rufus nodded in agreement. "Uh-huh!"

Kim looked at him suspiciously. "It's not a box of nacos, is it?"

"Just open it. It may not be quite like the real one, but it's the best one I could afford."

Kim opened the box, and she gasped. Within the box lay a tiara, smaller than the one Shego had won, but beautiful in its own right, plated in 14-carat gold.

"Oh, _Ron!_" She put her hand to her mouth. "What's with this?"

"Well, I wanted to say, I don't care how the vote turned out. You're still a queen to me and Rufus. Always."

"That really is so sweet." She caressed the object for a moment, and she looked up to Ron quizzically.

"Well, go ahead," Ron encouraged. "Put it on."

Kim half-smiled, and placed it in her hair. "Maybe Josh will notice me in this."

Ron's smile faded a bit. "Yeah. How can he not notice you now? You're the most beautiful girl in Middleton."

She seemed to hear what he said, but her thoughts and eyes drifted over to the bandstand, where she searched for any sign of Josh.

Ron's face fell. "Uh, K.P.? I'm going to the buffet for some snackage. I'll bring you some too, okay? I'll be right back."

Kim stood there for a moment, gazing around her setting. All of the kids there had dates, and many of them were huddled in dimly lit parts of the gym, already cuddling close with each other. Even Bonnie had apparently landed a date with Brick Flagg, and they sat, flirting, at a table off to the side. And Kim thought about how she alone couldn't find a date--except with the guy she had hung around with umpteen times over the last dozen years. Kim sighed as she thought about how many people around her had someone to love, someone special. Everyone except her.

"K.P.?" Kim turned around to see Ron, holding a plate of nachos. His mouth was full of some of the nachos he had already sampled, and he looked silly. After he finally swallowed, he continued. "Not nearly as good as Bueno Nacho, but still not too bad. You should try some." He shoved the plate into her hands.

Typically, Kim would have a snappy comeback for Ron in this type of situation, but tonight she was not in the mood. And she certainly was not in the mood for eating anything, let alone eating mediocre nachos. But she was not about to blow Ron off completely, and so she mumbled a thank you and mindlessly wandered away with the plate.

She took a few steps towards the bandstand, and then she froze. The band was coming up on stage, preparing to play, and Kim could see Josh casually talking with Shego in the back, behind the musicians. They, too, were getting ready to take their position on the bandstand. A lump in Kim's throat developed, and a rush of sorrow swept through her limbs. How was Josh's dinner? What happened between him and Shego? She had to fight tears, once again thinking of how sweet it would have been had she been there instead of Shego.

The band members took their places and started their set with a bold rock number, and the couples filled the dance floor, virtually obscuring Kim, who now seemed tiny among the partygoers. And, to Kim's dismay, Shego and Josh spontaneously took to the dance floor, indulging in the revelry, too. Kim stood there, alone with her own wistful thoughts, while the band played on. She couldn't help hoping that Josh might take notice of her and ask her to dance. But as the band played on through the night, it became clear that Josh was too involved with Shego to notice her.

In despair, Kim returned to her table and plopped herself down, brooding. She hardly noticed Ron, who had been waiting patiently for her. She glanced over to him briefly, then looked down again.

Ron grinned. "Bon-diggity dance music, eh?"

Sighing, she slumped back into her chair. "So _not_."

They sat there quietly for a long while, as they watched Josh and Shego dance, laugh, and occasionally rest on their makeshift thrones and engross themselves in conversation.

Finally, the band's lead vocalist grabbed the microphone to make an announcement. "Are we having fun?"

The crowd roared, "Yeah!"

The lead vocalist gestured the crowd to quiet, and he continued. "Okay, we're almost done tonight. And you know what that means!"

The crowd "oohed," and laughed.

The band leader grinned. "Time for the Homecoming King and Queen's special dance."

Alarmed, Kim stood up and ran to the edge of the dance floor, as though her presence might somehow stop what was coming next. She stood there, petrified, and she felt as though she had been steeped in ice water.

The lights, already low, were dimmed even further as the crowd of students cleared the dance floor. Shego and Josh went hand-in-hand to the center of the floor. The band played a soft, sentimental tune that seemed to consume the couple with a strange magic. Josh wrapped his arms around his date as they danced; he couldn't take his eyes off of Shego. And Shego often reciprocated by tucking her head under his chin. The dance seemed to last forever; Kim saw Josh whisper something into Shego's ear. Shego responded with a gentle smile and a nod. He chuckled slightly, nodded also, and pulled her closer.

No one seemed to notice the red-haired girl, all alone at the edge of the dance floor, wistfully staring at the dancing pair.

The music wound down, the lights faded almost to black, and everyone slowed their steps to a stop. It was now time. Time for the King and Queen's kiss.

Kim put her hands to her face, hiding her eyes. She whispered to herself, "No! No, this can't happen. They won't kiss. They won't. Oh, someone tell me this is just a nightmare!" In spite of the pain, she had to watch. She peered from between her fingers.

Josh and Shego slowed their dance, circling each other in their hold, and looked into each other's eyes. Josh leaned over to Shego, and with his fingertips, tilted her head towards him. She responded warmly, parted her lips to meet his, and they engaged in a deep, lingering kiss.

Kim watched from afar, overwhelmed with grief. She turned away, hugging herself for comfort. _Oh, if only Josh would hold me instead_. She closed her eyes and almost choked trying to stifle her sobs. She had never before felt so alone.

She ran. Just to escape. Tears blinded her, and she had no idea which direction she was running to--it didn't matter. She just had to get away. She slammed into Ron, who was returning to her. She backed away, and he blinked at her, noticing her wretched expression.

"Hey, K.P., you okay?"

She blinked out some tears, and looked up at him. "I . . . I don't know." He looked into her eyes as well, and her tears made her eyes appear to sparkle.

Around them stood about a dozen couples, all kissing happily. It was then that Kim and Ron realized that this was The Moment--the traditional point in the dance when all the other couples were supposed to kiss. It had never occurred to Kim when she made plans to go with Ron to the dance that she might kiss him; she was far too preoccupied with what was happening with Josh . . . and Shego. And Ron had forgotten about the tradition, too: when he arranged the date, he figured he would just hang out with Kim, and that he'd get some free eats as a bonus. Kissing Kim was not part of his plan.

They kept still--neither advancing nor retreating--but stood gazing into each other's eyes. The sounds of the room seemed to grow a little softer; the lights still a little lower. And the other people seemed to fade into the background a little bit.

Ron just grinned, if for nothing else than to reassure his friend. Kim found herself grow calmer, and she returned an easy, natural smile. They hadn't noticed that they were now half the distance from each other than they were a moment ago. Then another half. Then, Ron leaned over Kim's face. And Kim began to tilt her head back and close her eyes. Then--

Pop!

In the midst of their own romantic interlude, Shego and Josh knocked a fluorescent lamp off the stage, and it crashed to the floor. The rupturing tubes sounded like a miniature bomb. For a moment, there was mild confusion among the crowd, and some of the smart-ass boys snickered and fell over, pretending they had just been shot.

Startled, Kim looked over to where the lamp had fallen. She then noticed Shego staring over at her. It was as though Shego had hoped to catch Kim's attention at that precise moment. And no sooner had Kim looked up, than Shego initiated another kiss with Josh, who looked as though he was thoroughly enjoying himself.

The sight of them together in this way seared Kim's heart; it was the final blow. Looking as though she would melt into tears at any moment, she turned around to Ron. "Ron . . . Ron, I have to go home now." She could barely speak. "I--I'm sorry. I'll see you around, 'kay?"

"Hey, take care, K.P." He waved to her as she ran out of the gym. "I hope she'll be all right."

He turned back towards the bandstand, where he saw Shego and Josh continue their embrace. Shego especially looked as though she was having the time of her life. Ron suddenly realized what happened between Kim and himself, and he looked down into his pocket. "Hey, Rufus . . . you know I almost kissed Kim?"

Rufus made a surprised face. "Huh?"

"Well, hey, why not? It would have been a whole lot better than kissing Cheryl Johnson, that's for sure." His whole demeanor changed. "You know . . . kissing Kim . . . would have been quite nice, actually." His expression softened. "In fact, it would have been _real_ nice." He sighed. "But it wouldn't have been so nice for her. She's been in love with Josh Mankey for, like, forever. I can't compete with him. Look at who she is. She's Kim Possible; she can do anything. And I'm the class loser, with a capital L."

Rufus patted Ron's side sympathetically.

"So," Ron put the back of his hand to his face and continued melodramatically, "it's time to put those thoughts aside and think of other things." He brightened and looked down to Rufus. "How about a naco?"

"Uh-huh!"

He grinned. "Well then, let's ace this place. Nothing like Bueno Nacho to take your mind off things. Out of the heartbreak, and into to the heartburn, baby!" He laughed. "C'mon, the drive-through is open until four A.M."

Ron ran out the door, and into the school parking lot. He was struck by a thought, and he frowned. "Now, if I only had a car."


	17. Shego Rocks!  Act II, Chapter 16

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks!_

SIXTEEN

Ron had to run to catch up with Kim on his way to school, on the Monday morning following the dance. He was especially glad to see her, for she seemed to have completely disappeared from existence Sunday.

"Hey, K.P., what gives? You just blew by my house today. Was there something I said that tweaked you?"

Kim stopped and sighed. "I'm sorry, Ron. I never meant to blow you off. It's just that I've had a ferociously bad weekend. I haven't slept well since Thursday, and I'm just spacey."

He kept close to her as she continued towards school. "Maybe you ought to talk to a doctor about it."

"I can get through this. If I can fight an anaconda, fly an untested spacecraft, and survive a trip to Florida with the tweebs, this should be cake. I just need some time to sort this out."

She realized she would need quite a bit more time to sort things out, for she looked up, and saw that the signboard on their high school's front lawn read: "Shego Rocks!" and underneath, in smaller print: "Details inside." Kim sighed and rolled her eyes.

Kim then saw Shego, surrounded by Bonnie and some of the school's most popular girls as they hung out by the school's front door. Shego wore a jacket similar to the other girls', and Kim surmised that Shego had been initiated into some sort of "in" clique. Kim seethed as she passed by, but still managed to greet them with a wave. "Nice jacket, Shego. Club Banana?"

Shego grinned slyly. "Exclusive label."

Kim then asked for the information she both craved and dreaded. "How was your time with Josh?" She hoped she didn't sound too sarcastic.

Shego rolled her eyes and smiled. "Oh, if you only knew what kind of kisser he is!" She whistled rapturously.

"Yeah, if only I knew." Kim could no longer contain her anger, and she waved a finger at Shego. "You've got a lot of nerve, Shego! You knew I was totally crushing on him, but you acted like that was completely lost on you. You were all over him at the dance!"

Shego was taken aback by Kim's tirade, and she backed up a step. "I wasn't shopping around for him. I'll put him back on the shelf, if that will make you happy."

Kim was unimpressed. "Oh, don't play sweet-and-innocent with me. I know you too well--"

Bonnie intervened, pushing herself between Kim and Shego. She waved her hand in Kim's face. "And just who do you think _you_ are, Kim? You act like you own the guy. As if what Shego does with Josh is any of your business! And just how much time has Josh ever spent with you? Let's see . . . he went with you to the Spirit Dance, what, more than two years ago? And then he took you to a restaurant and the movies, like, last February or something. And that's it. Wow, like, that is _some_ history of romance." Bonnie didn't even bother to look at Kim; she just stood with her arm outstretched, gazing at her manicure. "Yeah, I was so hoping to land that homecoming date with Josh, too, but you don't see me acting all weird about it. Maybe you should just get over it, and get a life. Preferably somewhere outside Middleton." With a humph, Bonnie flipped her hair with her fingertips, and led her clique inside, away from Kim and Ron.

Shego walked with Bonnie and her friends towards the gym. "Wow, you can be ultra harsh, Bonnie."

Bonnie shrugged. "Kim Possible is _such_ a loser. I mean, look at her clothes and makeup. Like, she's going second-hand from some other century or something."

Shego paused. She was actually offended, for the clothes and makeup that Kim wore that day was one of the sets Shego had advised her to wear the previous week. She finally mumbled, "Yeah, she has a lot to learn."

Bonnie continued with her disparagement. "And Kim thinks she's all that about her 'saving the world,' as if that's important. I mean, even I can dress up in a black turtleneck and run around the streets, pretending to be a cop or something."

Shego looked over to her. "Well, actually, she's been rather modest about it. Plus, what she does is a lot more involved than just running around in a turtleneck."

Bonnie stopped. "Uh, how would you know?"

Shego balked. "Well, uh, let's just say, I've seen her in action. It's pretty impressive."

"Oh, really? What kind of _loser_ dresses up like that, and runs around thinking she's some sort of teen hero, anyway? Especially if she's not getting paid. Like, get some sort of _normal_ life." She continued on to the gym.

Shego felt like jumping up and shouting, "Kim Possible is no loser!" but she stopped herself as a cruel irony occurred to her: if Kim was no loser as a crime stopper, then Shego was no loser either, during her years with Team Go. She looked at Bonnie intently. "Do you think _I'm_ a loser?"

"Get real! You're the coolest kid to ever walk through that doorway!" She faced Shego. "Tell you what, I'm going to have a party at my place right after school Friday. And I'll make you and Josh the guests of honor."

Shego shook her head. "Can't. I have to be somewhere . . . for quite a while, actually. Starting Friday afternoon. I have a rendezvous with Doctor Drakken." Shego thought for a moment. "He's quite a doctor."

Bonnie pouted. "Can't your doctor appointment wait? I mean, if there's no emergency, you can always re-schedge. Everybody's going to be there at my party, and they'll all be counting on you!"

Shego sighed. "All right, all right. I suppose Drakken can wait a little while longer. Thanks for the kudos."

Grinning mischievously, Bonnie stopped and pointed. "Wait, here comes Josh. I have an idea: we'll make sure Kim sees you two together when she comes in." She giggled. "Oh, this is going to be great!"

Shego hesitated. "Well, I don't know . . . I think she's seen enough of us together."

Bonnie laughed. "I know _I_ haven't seen enough of Kim's face, when she sees you with him! Get with the program, Shego. It's about time Kim got her smarmy pride ground into the dust. I've never seen her act like such a milksop before, and I've had never had more fun than this past week than . . . ever!" She then called over to Kim, as the redhead approached the group. "Still hanging around with that loser, Kim?"

Kim glared at Bonnie. "Ron is _not_ a loser!" She turned to walk away.

Bonnie smirked. "Well, I suppose you'll have to settle for _him_, because you'll never land a guy like this . . ." Bonnie gestured towards Josh, who was then sneaking up on Shego.

Shego yelped with surprise as Josh, grinning broadly, scooped her up and whirled her around. "Josh! I--"

Josh held Shego tightly and kissed her. As Josh held her to his mouth, Shego looked around self-consciously. Bonnie and her posse sighed at them.

Kim stopped, stunned, and her eyes welled up with tears. The whole scene hurt her on so many levels, she couldn't respond. She simply turned on her heel and ran out of the school, and Ron ran after her.

Shego finally managed to pry Josh off her mouth. "Uh, Josh! What a surprise."

He stepped back, and winked at her. "Got to jet to class. But I'll see you around, babe." He trotted away.

Shego flinched and covered her eyes with her hand. "Babe?"

Bonnie slapped Shego's back, laughing with the others. "Way to go, Juliet! You should have seen Kim's face when you and Josh kissed."

"I think I _did_ see it." Shego shifted uncomfortably.

Bonnie kept laughing. "She just wilted like a lily and ran away. Some hero. Yeah, she can do anything, all right. Like bail from school whenever she sees you with Josh Mankey!" Bonnie led her friends down the hallway, and they continued to laugh at Kim's expense.

Shego was the only one not laughing.

Ron chased Kim across the school front lawn, and across the street. She still held her hands to her face. "Kim! K.P., are you all right? What happened?"

Kim shrugged. "I dunno. I guess it's too much for me to hope for someone who's good-looking, smart and talented, and who can get things done." She lowered her hands and scowled at him. "Ron, you should go back. You're going to be late for class."

Ron walked with her. "Why should I go back, if you're not?"

Kim eyed him. "Because unlike you, I'm not flunking out of school. You _are_, and you know it." She put her hands to her face again. "Which means you won't be in college with me." She sighed. "Ron, I think it's time we get used to not seeing each other anymore." She looked at him with teary eyes. "It's not that I hate you, it's just that it's better if we make a clean break right now. You understand." She patted his shoulder. "It looks like my future is with someone like Josh, when I get to college." With a last apologetic look, Kim turned and walked down the street.

Ron stood in silence for a long time. He finally spoke to Rufus, in his pocket. "It's over. It's really over this time." He slumped his shoulders, and walked back to Middleton High, as he pulled a spiral notebook out of his backpack. "I guess there's no need for _this_ anymore."

Rufus waved a tearful good-bye in Kim's direction. And Ron tossed his notebook in the trash as he made his joyless way to homeroom.

Monique had just finished second period, and she scoured the hallways for any sign of Kim. Though Monique could swear she had seen her come in with Ron before school, Kim never showed up in homeroom, and Ron seemed upset and evasive. Kim's sudden disappearance concerned her.

Monique fumbled in her purse for a breath mint, but she disappointedly felt an empty package at the bottom of her purse. She dug it out and tossed it directly into the nearby trashcan. Then she blanched; she had accidentally lifted out her key chain and thrown it into the trash along with the mint wrapper.

Muttering, she put her arm into the trashcan, having to delve deep among refuse to retrieve her key chain. She felt the key chain and raised it out of the trash.

She then noticed that the key ring had entangled with the wire binding of a ragged-looking spiral notebook. She noticed a few crazy scribbles on the notebook's cover, and, curious, she flipped through the first few pages, hoping to identify its owner. These pages showed nothing but more random scribbles and doodles. Then, on the fifth page, she saw more doodles, but also a ragged inscription, "6:30 P.M. -- Rufus to K.P.'s."

Monique nodded. It was certainly Ron's notebook, for she knew no one else in the world associated with the words "Rufus" and "K.P." Monique flipped to the end of the notebook, to verify her suspicions. She turned back a few dozen blank pages. What she saw next almost caused her to drop the book. It was a journal entry.

"October 9, 2004," she read.

_Kim was so upset at the homecoming dance over Josh. I wish I could have held her and let her cry in my arms. She doesn't have the feelings for me that I have for her, though. But maybe now that Josh has Shego, Kim will forget about him._

Monique gasped. "Whoa, what is _this?_ 'She doesn't have the feelings for me that I have for her.' Say _what?_"

She flipped back in the book some more.

_April 30, 2004. Does Kim notice my heart pounding every time I see her? I don't think so, but . . ._

She blinked. "Ron's heart pounds every time he sees Kim?"

Monique flipped back again.

_December 25, 2003. Just thinking about yesterday makes me want to cry. They cancelled Snowman Hank! But I know I will cherish Kim's present and that kiss under the mistletoe forever. That made up for everything else. Thank you Doctor Drakken!!!_

_September 9, 2003. This is going to be a bon-diggity school year! Kim is in every one of my classes. Including Latin, though Kim is grouchy over my having her sign up. _

_But at least I'm not in Norway, where it's even colder at 2 A.M. _

_I have no idea why I just wrote that. _

_But the chance to sit next to Kim for the whole day had been my dream ever since pre-K._

Monique flipped back further.

_September 2, 2003. Kim wants me to come over and watch DVDs with her. Boo-yah! Maybe something romantic? Hmm . . . what new DVDs are out now, anyway?_

Monique flipped through the pages frantically, and she read similar passages on dozens of entries. "September 14, 2002. Kim brought me along for another mission. Just think--me!"

"August 29, 2002. I think I love Kim more than ever today . . ."

"July 12, 2002. I love Kim . . . July 3, 2002. I love Kim . . . June 25, 2002. Kim is so sweet . . ."

Every entry, about Kim. And Ron's feelings about her. Page after page.

Monique finally made it back to the very first entry, near the front of the notebook.

_June 7, 2002. Kim is really crushing on Josh Mankey. I'm going to see to it she gets up the nerve to ask him to Friday's dance. I don't care how much this hurts me. Her happiness comes first._

Monique gasped as she realized the implication of everything. "Ron is in love with Kim!"

And not only was Ron in love with Kim, he had secretly been in love with her for years.


	18. Shego Rocks!  Act II, Chapter 17

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks!_

SEVENTEEN

Monique finally found Ron at his locker at the end of the day. "Ron, we need to talk."

He shrugged. "If it's about that five bucks I owe you, I don't have any money on me right now. Maybe tomorrow--"

"No, it's not about money." She held up the notebook for him to take.

He stared at her, ashen-faced, and nervously retrieved it. "I thought I'd gotten rid of that. You haven't read any of it, have you?"

Monique was not about to admit she had rifled through his most intimate writings, but she was still concerned about him. "I know you're going through a tough time."

She knew. Ron raised his eyes upward, leaned back against the lockers, and gasped loudly. And his cheeks turned bright red. "You're not going to tell her, are you?"

"Well, I won't say anything to her. But you should--"

"She's so wrapped up in that Josh Mankey these days, I can hardly get her attention. And today she basically ended our friendship." He sighed. "She says I'm a failure now. She's never said that to me before."

Monique nodded. "It's that madness for Mankey talking, so don't let it crush you. Still, your grades are something to be concerned about. Have things gotten better lately?"

Ron's eyes brightened. "Well, yes. Since Shego began tutoring me, I've been passing everything." He looked down. "Well, the grades ranged from D plus to B minus the past month."

Monique almost squealed. "But--but for you, that's a giant improvement! Why didn't you tell anybody?"

Ron shrugged. "Didn't know anyone was interested. What with Kim's perfect gradages, and yours, and Shego's . . ."

Monique tossed up her hands. "But, this makes a world of difference for you. You can get into college, for example--"

"I know! Did you know I got an acceptance letter from Middleton University? I'll be on probation, but it's an acceptance all the same."

Monique's eyes lit up, and she could hardly control her excitement. "That means you'll be going to college with Kim! Tell her! Tell her! All about your grades. Or, at _least_ about your college acceptance. That would be the best piece of news she's gotten in a long time. And she really could use some cheering up now. Call her when you get home!"

Monique tried calling Kim for the third time in the hour since she arrived home, but again she only managed to reach her voice mail. She frowned and pocketed her cell phone. If Kim wasn't home, or at Ron's, or on a mission, there was one other likely place to find her.

It was still too early for the dinner rush, so Bueno Nacho was practically deserted, but Monique found Kim sitting alone at her favorite table. The contents of Kim's backpack were scattered along the bench seat next to her, including a nearly empty box of tissues. A small cup of cola with a chewed-up straw rested on the table, near her elbow. Next to that sat a small plate of nachos, virtually untouched and pushed aside. Crumpled-up tissues littered the tabletop. Kim wrung yet another tissue in her hands. Her eyes were bleary and devoid of makeup, and her cheeks were raw and pink.

"Uh, Kim? You've been here all day?" Monique leaned over to her. "You doing okay?"

Kim faked a smile. "Oh, of course! Things couldn't be better. Why do you ask?"

Monique sat down across from her, and scowled. "I know better. Something's eating you alive. I can tell." She looked at her friend intently. "And that something is spelled J-O-S--"

"I know." Kim waved. "I know what you're thinking. And really . . . it's cool." She turned her face quickly to her right, towards the window, pretending to look at the view. In reality, she was hiding a tear that was rolling down her right cheek. She took a quick swipe with the tissue to rub her eyes. "Darn contact lenses."

Monique deadpanned. "That's great, except you aren't wearing any lenses right now, girl." She shifted towards Kim slightly, lowering her voice. "Kim, I can't stand seeing you tear yourself apart like this. What can I do to make you feel better?"

Kim sighed. "Can you get me a guy?"

"Just any guy?"

"Well, no, of course not."

Monique grinned confidently. "Okay, then what kind of guy do you want? And if you say 'Josh Mankey,' I'll brain you."

"Well, I want someone smart, and talented, and kind of quiet . . ." She was beginning to paint a verbal portrait of Josh.

Monique rolled her eyes, and huffed loudly. "Oh, come off it, Kim! Get Josh out of your head for just a second, and think of what is really important to you!" She leaned forward, and pounded a fist on the table. "If there was one thing you'd want from a guy, just one thing, what would it be?"

Kim thought long and hard. Finally, she mumbled, "Well, I guess . . . I'd want him . . . to just be there for me."

Monique sighed in relief. "To be there for you. Okay. Now we're getting somewhere. What else would you want?"

Kim shrugged. "I don't know." Then after a long pause, she said, "Well, I'd want someone I can talk to."

Monique's eyes lit up. "Yes! Someone you can talk to . . ."

"Someone who I can talk to, and who won't get all judgmental. Someone who understands me."

Monique smiled. "Someone who understands you . . ."

"And who I can tell anything to. Sort of like you, Monique, but someone who's a guy."

"Yes! Yes! Someone you can tell anything to! Like someone who wouldn't flinch knowing you still collect Cuddle Buddies, and someone with whom you could talk to about them."

"Yeah."

"And someone who won't skip out on you at the first sight of another pretty face? Someone loyal like that?"

Kim brightened. "Yes! And someone who won't think I'm freaky for running out and saving the world from time to time."

"Someone who you can spend years and years with, doing all the same things you've done before, and never grow tired of it!"

Kim grew excited. "Yes! Yes! Someone like--"

"Ron!"

"Yes!" Kim blinked. "No!" She leaned back, stunned. "What?"

Monique sat back, folded her arms, and grinned. "Ron."

Kim mouthed the name for a moment. "Ron." She frowned, and shook her head. "No, no . . . this is _so_ wrong. Ron's been like a brother to me. And . . . and . . . and, I don't know. It's too freaky. It's just plain weird."

"Because . . .?"

Kim shrugged.

"Just think about it, Kim. When has Ron _not_ been there for you? He goofs up from time to time, but he has never stopped trying to be there for you. That's reason number one. Have you ever felt uncomfortable talking to him?"

"Well, of course not."

"Reason number two." When Monique saw Kim roll her eyes, she retorted, "Now, hear me out. Has Ron ever been judgmental about your Cuddle Buddies?"

How could Ron possibly be judgmental about Cuddle Buddies? He had actually slept with Kim's Pandaroo doll several times when they were little.

"Reason number three," Monique said. "Shall I go on?"

"But Ron is . . . well, let's just say he fails a lot."

Monique nodded. "Yeah. He does. He fails his Shakespeare exams. He fails science. He fails math." She looked intently at Kim. "But when you _really_ needed him, has he ever failed _you?_ Just think about it Kim: I have never seen two people spend as much time together as you two. And Ron _does_ have his talents, it's just that they're less glamorous than those of other people. He makes delicious food. He can make those theater-type masks, like the one for his mascot costume. By the way, his mascot routine was a big hit, wasn't it?" She folded her hands. "And did you like him any better when he got all those artificial muscles, when he wore that molecular ring thingy? Did you like him any better when everyone went all gaga over him when you got him that new hairstyle, or when he got rich and handed everybody money? Didn't you find you liked him just the way he was?" Monique saw that Kim still looked uncertain, so she played her trump card. She leaned in closer to her. "Kim, can you imagine life without Ron?"

Kim sat motionless, unable to counter that argument. Something deep inside her was nagging her to answer "no," but she knew if she did, she would symbolically be surrendering Josh.

Monique narrowed her eyes upon her friend. "There will be a point where you'll have to make a decision, Kim. It's either Ron . . . or Josh. You can't have both." Monique sat back. "Which will it be?"

"I can live without Ron," Kim answered, trying to look smug. "I can. He won't be able to get in Middleton University, so I won't be going to school with him anymore, and I can deal. I already told him to get used to not seeing me anymore."

"Oh, I see now." Monique lowered her voice. "This is all because you love Ron and you don't know how to handle it--you're scared of life without him--and so you're pushing him away."

Kim was astounded. "Me, in love with _Ron?_ You are positively cracked." Kim frowned. "Why are you saying all these things to me? Why are you trying to talk me out of hoping for Josh?" Kim stood up, and folded her arms. "You don't think I'm good enough for him?"

"That's not what I meant--"

Kim threw her things into her backpack and slung it over her shoulder. "Josh is every bit as special to me as Ron." She narrowed her eyes, with ever increasing determination written upon her face. "Thanks, Monique, but I know what I'm doing. Josh _will_ be mine. I don't care what it takes, but he _will_ be mine. I will not be deterred. Anything is possible for a Possible."

When Kim turned on her heel and left, Monique heaved a despondent sigh.

Kim sat in her homeroom class the next day, still brooding. A totally unprecedented thing happened--she had forgotten all of her day's homework. Not that it would have made much difference; she had spent the entire previous evening merely doodling in the margins of her notebook, and she had accomplished nothing. She had also dragged herself into class ten minutes late with most of her books missing--another unprecedented incident.

Her head was resting on her desktop as Mr. Barkin began his lecture, when her Kimmunicator beeped, and she pulled it from her backpack. Barkin shot Kim a scowl, and so she excused herself and led Ron to the hallway to answer the call.

She shook her head groggily. "Hey Wade, what's the sitch?"

"Trouble in the Congo. There's a mystical temple--"

Kim perked up slightly. Hearing Wade talk about a rainforest region and a mystical temple tipped her off immediately. "Monkey Fist!"

Wade nodded, and took a sip of cola. "Yeah, Monkey Fist. He's stolen a legendary amulet from a nearby museum, and has taken it to the temple. Legend has it that--"

"Wait," she interrupted, frowning, "this amulet thing isn't going to turn me into a monkey, is it?"

"No. But whoever possesses the amulet inside the temple, and has been exposed to mystical monkey power, will gain incredible powers."

Monkey Fist had been exposed to such power two years before, when he used four jade monkeys to energize himself with powerful magic. Ron and Rufus were exposed, too.

Kim nodded. "Well, it looks like we'll have to get there before Monkey Fist, then. Thanks, Wade."

Wade gestured to her. "Oh, and Kim, that device you found in your bedroom last week is a digital recorder. And it wasn't built by Jim or Tim."

"A recorder? That doesn't make any sense. Do you think it might be Shego's?"

Wade shrugged. "Don't know. Could be. I'm trying to figure out what's on it, but the recording is scrambled with an odd type of encryption. It's going to take a while to decipher it."

"Well, stay with it. Thanks, Wade. Keep me posted."

Businesslike, she turned to Ron. "Next stop, Africa. Let's jet."

Next thing the two knew, they were in the clouds over Africa, cruising at five hundred knots in a tactical military jet, and they readied their flight helmets and parachute backpacks.

Kim patted the pilot on the shoulder. "Thanks for the lift, Major Fliegen."

He shrugged. "It's the least I could do, Miss Possible, after you saved my plane from crashing."

"Hey, a B-52 with only one working engine, spiraling out of control? No big. Supersonic aircraft are my specialty." Readying her goggles, she looked out the side door and brought something to Ron's attention. "There. The temple. This is our stop."

She bailed out first, and Ron followed immediately afterward. As usual, Ron gritted his teeth as they plummeted, and Rufus ducked into Ron's pocket. Ron pulled his cord, the parachute popped open, and they landed in a small clearing just a few seconds behind Kim.

He unhooked the parachute, stepped clear of it, and looked over to Kim. She too, had disengaged her parachute, but she was kneeling and holding her face in her hands. He looked at her more closely. "K.P.? Are you okay?"

After a pause, she said, "I'm fine. Go. I'll be there in a minute."

"Okay. I thought you might have gotten hurt--"

"I said I'm fine!" she barked. "Now, go!"

Ron backed off, and walked away from her. "Sheesh! Women." He held Rufus. "Must be a girl thing. Do I act ever act like that?"

Rufus grinned and nodded. "Uh-huh. Oh _yeah_."

Ron frowned. "Even when Kim and I switched brains?"

Kim caught up with them, trying to hide the fact she was wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Okay, let's get to that temple. Keep alert; I may need you to be the distraction."

They reached the temple, which appeared to be two--if not three--millennia old. It was a stone pyramid, with a single entrance near the base of the structure; its steps were covered with layers of moss and ivy, and much of the stone had been worn away by centuries of erosion.

Kim and Ron climbed the steps together, creeping through the stone archway leading inside. They saw a faint light at the far end of the hallway, and slowly made their way towards it. They found themselves at the entrance of a great chamber lit by dozens of torches. At the center was a raised altar, where Monkey Fist stood alone, gloating. In his hands lay the mystical amulet.

Kim cried out to him. "Stop right there, Monkey Fist!" She and Ron dropped to the main level, just a short distance behind the villain.

Monkey Fist, formerly the renowned British archeologist Lord Monty Fiske, turned around and glowered at them. "Ah, the cheerleader. And her incompetent sidekick." Monkey Fist was not hideously ugly, but his body--especially his hands and feet--had been genetically mutated to resemble that of a giant monkey.

"Give it up, Monkey Fist," Kim admonished, "Or shall I just throw a monkey wrench into your plans?"

"Not a chance. I have, in my hand, the key to the world's ultimate mystical monkey power." He raised the strange-looking amulet above his head in triumph with his monkey-mutated hands.

"I think I'll just take that," Kim said confidently. She had already shot her grappling gun, and the hook wound itself around the object. Kim retracted the line, ripping the amulet from Monkey Fist's grip and directly into Kim's hands, like a long yo-yo. "It looks like I have the better monkey grip, Monkey Fist."

Monkey Fist spat. "Insolent girl! You know not what you are up against. All I needed was just one touch of the amulet within the temple walls, and the power was mine." He began laughing and making strange monkey-like sounds.

Suddenly, a huge flash emitted from his body. The shockwave knocked both Kim and Ron to the floor, and they tumbled backwards halfway across the room. When Kim recovered and looked up, she gasped. Monkey Fist was literally glowing, and he appeared almost twice his normal size.

"Behold the ultimate mystical monkey power!" he boomed. "And now, to finish off the two of you!" He clapped his hands twice, and looked up to the rafters. "Monkey ninjas, attack!" He pointed an ape-like finger in the direction of the duo.

The instant Monkey Fist had given his command, a swarm of monkeys poured down on Kim and Ron, in a massive ambush. Although Ron had begun to get over his fear of monkeys of late, he had never seen so many of them at once. "K.P., look out!"

Kim realized that Ron had mystical monkey power, too, and that he could match Monkey Fist, once Ron touched the amulet. But the monkeys were charging fast, and were almost on top of them already. "Ron! Catch!" She lateraled the amulet towards Ron like a football.

But the monkeys had already covered the whole floor, and the amulet disappeared in a sea of fur. And Monkey Fist was hurling himself into the fray. "Give me that amulet!"

Kim tapped desperately on her Kimmunicator. "Wade! Wade! Monkey Fist has gone like, totally radioactive or something. Is there an antidote to the amulet's power?"

"Well, I'll search the web, and see."

"You might put your modem on hyper speed. I've got three thousand monkeys and a glowing gorilla playing rugby with me here."

"Well, unless you actually have possession of the amulet, the effect only lasts a few minutes."

"Well, okay, but I don't think I have a few minutes. Keep trying, Wade."

Kim and Ron fought off the monkey ninjas the best they could, but they were hopelessly outnumbered, and they retreated until they were back-to-back, surrounded. For some reason, Kim found herself weakening sooner than usual, and, while Ron still held his own, she was becoming breathless. What's more, Monkey Fist was approaching, and Kim guessed that his power was lethal.

Ron cowered. "Well, K.P., what now?"

She couldn't answer, for she was afraid to admit to him that she felt defeated, that they were now at Monkey Fist's mercy. And somehow, she couldn't shake the gnawing feeling of sorrow that filled her conscious.

A sudden flash of light shocked everyone. Dozens of monkeys bowled over, and Kim and Ron lifted their arms, to shield their eyes from the blinding light. They looked out, and saw another monster grow near Monkey Fist. The monster wore the mystical amulet around his neck, and he, too, glowed with the full power of the charm. But the monster was not human, nor was he monkey. He was a rodent--huge, pink, and naked.

"Rufus!"

With a single swipe of his paw, Rufus knocked all of the monkeys within his reach. They bowled backwards, knocking all of the other monkeys over, in a remarkable chain reaction. The monkeys stood, stunned. Rufus took the opportunity to run over to Ron and Kim.

"Rufus, buddy!" Ron exclaimed. "We forgot, you were exposed to the mystical monkey power, too. Way to go!" They slapped high-fives.

Rufus then slipped the amulet from around his neck and placed it around Ron's. Ron's body sent shockwaves throughout the entire chamber. Rocks and debris began falling from the ceiling and walls.

Monkey Fist's eyes grew wide, his face grew white as he saw two giants stand before him, and he noticed his own supernatural power slip from his body. Ron jumped into a combative position, and Rufus growled at Monkey Fist, who had no choice but to beat a hasty retreat, and he ordered the monkeys out of the temple.

Just as the monkeys clamored out, Ron saw that the stones from the ceiling and walls were coming down in larger pieces. And then a huge stone beam came down towards where Kim was standing. "K.P.!" He jumped in her direction, knocking her out of the way. The beam crashed to the floor, scattering boulders in all directions. One heavy piece wedged Kim's foot against the altar stone, and she struggled to free herself.

"Go, Ron! Get Monkey Fist! He can't get away this time."

Ron blinked. "But K.P., rocks are falling everywhere. I can't leave you in here. It's too dangerous. C'mon Rufus, let's get her out of here."

"_Ron_. Listen to me. If you don't get him--"

"Okay, Rufus. One, two, three!"

With their combined super strength, Ron and Rufus managed to pull the stone away, and Ron scooped Kim up and carried her over his shoulder. They had all managed to get to the entrance when tons of stone rained down into the chamber, amid a great crash.

Ron flipped Kim over, and shrieking, she plopped belly-first to the rainforest floor.

She lay there, facedown, and angrily slammed a gloved hand into the dust. "Dammit, Ron, we had him! We had him, and you let him get away! Ron, you ferociously disobeyed me! Why don't you ever listen to me?"

"But--"

She jumped up and bellowed at him. "No! There are no buts. This is stupid, having to count on you. Next time Wade calls, I'm going solo."

"Kim?"

She turned on him again, and her eyes flashed. "We're through! I'll call you if I ever need you again."

Ron was stunned at Kim's irrationality. He could see there was more behind her anger than simply losing Monkey Fist. She could barely contain tears, as she ran off, leaving a sorrowful-looking friend and his pet.


	19. Shego Rocks!  Act II, Chapter 18

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks!_

EIGHTEEN

Kim overslept again. She could no longer sleep peacefully, and she tossed and turned all night. Finally dozing off just before dawn, she fell into such a deep repose that she completely ignored her alarm. She looked at the clock and saw it was seven thirty-five, and wearily dragged herself out of bed. She skipped breakfast for the eighth day in a row, threw on whatever clothes were within reach, and slogged to school alone.

Kim barely made it through the day. Unable to concentrate, she spent the whole day wistfully looking out the window and doodling in her notebook.

By her own standards, Kim looked downright wretched. Her clothes were a mishmash of colors and styles, and they looked as though they had just been dragged out of the hamper. Her hair was barely combed, and her eyes were darkened, as though she had not slept for weeks. She slouched out of fatigue and melancholy.

And the failing grades continued, even though Mr. Barkin threatened her with detention to "build her character." So far she was able to hide her academic crisis, as well as her melancholy state, from her parents. Still, she had not completed a single assignment since the homecoming dance, and her grades in science, English, Latin, history, calculus, and even music plummeted from A to C minus, which threatened her college admission, and also threatened to disqualify her from any extracurricular activities, including cheerleading.

But Kim was soon to find out that would become a moot issue.

Kim staggered into the gym after school and wearily headed towards the locker room to change for cheerleading practice, but Bonnie intercepted her.

"Kim, we need to talk. I've got to ask you: what's your problem?"

"Problem?"

"I mean, you've been acting, well . . . weird lately. You've been coming in late, looking tired. You haven't been contributing. Look at your clothes! People are starting to talk. It reflects poorly on the squad. And so, I've decided . . . well, _we_ have decided that you can't handle cheerleading. You're off the team. Shego will take your place. She's already dressed and ready to go." Bonnie turned and began to walk to the other side of the gym where the other cheerleaders waited, and they stared quietly at Kim.

Kim stood there, silent. She knew the words "You're off the team" must have tasted like honey to Bonnie. _Never mind_, she thought, _I must carry on. Somehow, I will carry on._

Bonnie turned around. "Oh, and another thing." She looked down at Kim, sneering at her ragged appearance. "Tonight I'm having a party over at my place . . . for Shego and Josh. Everybody who's anybody will be there. Which means _you're_ not invited."

"I see," Kim replied, despondently. Her heart was in her mouth. Not so much because Bonnie snubbed her, but because she had to listen as Josh's and Shego's names were linked once again. She ran away, in tears.

Ron heard and saw all that happened. For a moment, he considered protesting to Bonnie, but figured it would be to no avail; in a sense, he knew Bonnie was right. Something had happened to Kim--he didn't know what--and he felt helpless to do anything about it. He ran to the hallway, tossed down his mascot head, and slumped to the floor.

Shego, in her cheerleading uniform, followed him from the gym, unaware of what transpired between Bonnie and Kim. She found Ron sitting alone with his head in his hands. "You all right?"

He shrugged. "Everything's falling apart, Shego. Kim just got kicked off the cheerleading squad. All of a sudden, nothing's going right . . . especially for K.P. I don't know what's happening. It's like she's turning into a different person, or something." He sniffled, and wiped away a tear. "And I have no idea what to do for her."

Quietly, Shego sat next to him. "Please don't be upset, Ron. It won't be permanent, trust me . . . and the hard luck will end before too long. Well, things may get pretty crappy for a while. But it'll get better soon, I promise. Don't ask me how I know this; let's just say I'm psychic."

Her words didn't seem to have much of an effect, and he dropped his face into his hands. Shego squirmed, not knowing what to say. She looked at him, studying his face. "You going to be okay?"

When he didn't answer, she turned away for a moment, and dropped her chin into her hands. "Look, I know I haven't always been the nicest person to you two, but I've got to tell you, you both have so much going for you. Just for starters--I have no idea how she keeps those brothers in line. I just bolted from _my_ brothers. I guess that shows a lot more courage on her part. Look at you two--you keep coming back at Drakken, again and again, never getting tiring of it, never getting discouraged. You both have always had a positive attitude. Humph. Come to think of it, even Drakken, in his own twisted way, was always happy with his work." She looked down. "Me? Now that I think about it, I rarely ever had fun." She gripped herself when she realized what she had just said. "I've never really had a happy moment in years. And maybe that's what drove me against you guys all this time. I was so jealous of Kim, seeing how happy she was; seeing how successful she was at everything. Seeing how she had a special friend like you." She grinned at him for a moment, but after seeing she hadn't lifted his spirits, she looked at him seriously. "Hey, if anything should ever happen to me--if I disappeared or something, would you tell Kim something for me?"

Ron stirred. "What? Something's going to happen to you? Is something wrong?"

"I'm just saying _if_ something happened to me. You'll tell her?"

"What would you want me to say?"

Shego looked away. "That her fighting has been downright sweet. You know--the martial arts stuff. But now I know she's a fighter in a lot of different ways. And these past few weeks, she's been facing some really tough stuff. She's quite the fighter." Shego suddenly looked melancholy. "She really should be proud of herself. And for all the times she's been nice to me, I owe her a word of thanks." She looked over to him. "You'll tell her?"

"She won't talk to me anymore."

Shego shook her head. "Trust me, when the right time comes, she'll talk to you again. And she'll need you more than ever. You'll make sure nothing happens to her? I'm counting on you, Ron Stoppable. Just keep your chin up for a little while longer. She's going to need you very soon. And you'll be there for her, won't you?"

Ron nodded silently.

Shego got up and slowly walked away. She turned around briefly. Oh, and one last thing . . . you know that time when you guys were hanging onto that rope over the shark pit, and I tripped the lever that drained the water?"

"Yes?"

"That was no accident." And, with a mournful look upon her face, Shego returned to the gymnasium.

Kim threw herself out the back door of the school. She tossed her back against the door, pulled her hair with both hands, and crumpled to the ground. She prayed that something, _anything_ would come along to break her string of bad fortune. Kim put her head in her hands and sobbed when the Kimmunicator beeped.

She wore an artificial grin. "What up, Wade?"

"There's a hit at your site. Robbery at the Divot Lover's Golf Shop."

She brightened. Things had come unraveled in her personal life, but she knew she was still in her element on her missions. "A golf shop? Duff Killagan, of course!"

"Well, actually no. It's an ordinary heist, by a couple of amateurs. This should be a piece of cake. Middleton P.D. is on the way, but it's right by the school, and you should be able to get there way ahead of them."

"I'm on it."

"Where's Ron?" Wade asked.

"Forget Ron!" she snapped. "I'm taking it alone this time."

Wade was taken aback by Kim's coldness. "Well, it's your call, Kim."

Kim slunk along the alley, between two large warehouses. She stopped to listen for a moment, then proceeded quietly. She hid behind a dumpster, looked up, and shot her grappling hook so that it wrapped itself around a girder of a fire escape at the top of the building. She held fast to the gun while the line retracted, and it lifted her upward.

Kim paused to rest on the rooftop, and she noticed a wave of strange sensations wafting through her. She felt strangely out of breath. And she felt something that she had never experienced before: she felt empty, purposeless. She found she had to shake herself to keep from bursting into tears, and when she looked down, she saw that her hands were trembling. A thought suddenly nagged her: _Why do I even bother?_

She blinked. She never had such an attitude before. _Snap out of it, Kim_, she told herself. _You can do this. You can._

She swung down to the roof of the golf shop, dropped to the sidewalk next to the front door, and peered inside. Sure enough, there were two young men: one man pulled cash out of the register, while the other man kept the store personnel at bay with what appeared to be a bundle of dynamite. They were obviously inexperienced thieves, for they had minimal equipment, and the one working the cash register did so with bare hands and a screwdriver.

Kim stood in the doorway with hands on her hips. "Golf season is officially over as of now, boys."

Startled, the two robbers looked at each other. "Who's the kid?"

Before anyone could react, Kim high-kicked at the one holding the dynamite, and she knocked the explosives to the floor. The bundle tore apart and revealed that, instead of dynamite sticks, it was actually made up of painted broomstick handles.

Their ruse exposed, the robbers panicked. "Let's get out of here!"

The two scattered and ran towards the front exit, with Kim in hot pursuit. She cartwheeled past some racks of polo shirts, bounded over boxes of shoes, and leapt over a stack of golf bags.

But she caught her foot on a shoulder strap of one of the bags. She lost her balance, tumbled into a rack of golf clubs, and crashed to the floor.

Panting, she rolled over, and she seized her grappling gun. She shot the hook in the general direction of the thieves, but the hook missed its target, ricocheted off a ceiling panel, whirled twice around a supporting girder, and bounded back towards Kim. The hook and line coiled around her a dozen times, and like a python, tightened suddenly--squeezing the breath out of her. Reflexively, her hand grabbed both the safety and the trigger on her gun, which tripped the power retract. Shrieking, she hurtled head over heels to the ceiling. Her gun jammed, and she dangled helplessly from the girder. It was a mishap that was routine for Ron, but was a humiliating first for the teen heroine.

The two robbers stopped and looked up to her, laughing. "We should do this more often, just to watch her!" And Kim listened as the sound of their laughter faded in the distance.

Kim just hung there, disgraced, and she heard disappointed grumbling from the store people below. All she could do now was wait for the Middleton P.D. to arrive to help her down, and she just wallowed in melancholy. She dropped a silent tear, wondering if her days as a crime-fighter were finished now, too. After all, the robbers were petty amateurs, and she had totally blown her mission. _Everything_ was going wrong, now.

Then she had a sudden thought. Her downward spiral, how did it start? Things were just fine, until Shego came to Middleton High. Then, after Shego showed up, Kim's life began to fall to pieces. It was as though Shego had cast some sort of hex upon her.

"Shego!" she hissed. "You're enjoying yourself at my expense, eh? You had your fun, and now the party's over. Promise or no promise, the moment I get down from here, I am turning you in!"

"You were saying?" Officer Hobble stood, staring at Kim in his office at the Middleton police station. "You want me to arrest a _classmate?_"

Kim frowned at him. She was still in her mission clothes, and she sat across from him with her arms folded. "I'm telling you, Shego is masquerading at Middleton High, as a student."

"Um, excuse me?"

"Shego's there! You can just drive over to Bonnie Rockwaller's house and pick her up . . . right now."

"Look, Kim, I'd usually trust your word, but you told me _yourself_ that the new student had nothing to do with Shego the villain. Don't you remember? You sat in that very same chair and said, 'Officer Hobble, don't worry about this new Shego. She's cool. She's my friend.' Weren't those your exact words?"

"I know. But--"

"Not only that, but we did a complete run-down on that student, just in case. The chances of the two being the same are almost zero. Most of the student's physical features are different from the villain's. The fingerprints don't match, and all the numbers and DNA are different."

Kim shook her head wildly. "I know! I know! That's because Wade hacked every mainframe in the world, and changed Shego's stats."

Officer Hobble looked bewildered. "Now, why would Wade do something like that?"

Sheepish, Kim stopped cold. "Well, because I asked him to."

The officer was incredulous. "You asked him to?"

"Yes! Yes! I can prove it!" She clicked on her Kimmunicator.

Wade appeared on the screen. "Kim! I finally got the encryption code for that recording you found. In just a few minutes--"

"Wade? Wade--I need you to tell these guys about Shego. Tell them about the student at Middleton High."

"Sure, Kim. But password first, remember?"

Kim froze. With all that had happened over the past few weeks, Wade's password was the last thing on her mind, and she had forgotten it. She hesitated.

Wade suddenly looked nervous. "Well, uh . . . the student at Middleton is not the same Shego."

"Wade! No, listen to me! Tell them about what we did with Shego . . . about how we gave her a new I.D. card, and new clothes and all . . ."

"The student at Middleton is not the same Shego," Wade repeated.

"Wade! Don't do this to me, Wade. Now tell them! Tell them!"

"The student at Middleton is not the same Shego."

Kim flew into a rage. "You stinking backstabber!" She hurled the device hard against the wall, and it cracked as it struck the plaster. She plopped her face into her hands. "He's lying! He's lying! Shego's there! She's there!"

The officer leaned over her. "Um, we know you've been under a lot of stress lately, Kim. I think you've been trying to take on too much, and it's starting to get to you. It's probably best that you take a rest from crime fighting. Maybe you're just not cut out for it, after all."

Kim whipped around, and faced him, wild eyed. "No!" The officer backed away, as though facing a mad animal. She flew into a tirade. "No. You know what? I don't need you, anyway. I don't need anyone. I'm going to handle this myself."

She jumped across the room, scooped up the Kimmunicator, and stormed out.

The officer scrambled to the dispatch radio. "Hobble here. I've got a wild one. She was just here at the station. I'm going to follow her, but I think I'm going to need some backup."

A response came back from one of the patrol cars. "Roger that, Hobble. What's the description?"

Officer Hobble sighed. "You're not going to believe this, but it's Kim Possible, and she's gone completely loco."


	20. Shego Rocks!  Act II, Chapter 19

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks!_

NINETEEN

By late afternoon, Bonnie's party was in full swing, as a large crowd had already gathered at her place. Bonnie had gotten her parents to disappear for the evening; the last thing she wanted was for her classmates to get another view of her parents' _fashion don't_ styles. Plus, with her parents away and her older sibs off to college, she had the house all to herself.

By the time Shego arrived with Josh, everyone in Bonnie's inner circle was partying, including all the other cheerleaders except Kim. Josh and Shego wore their homecoming crowns as Bonnie had requested, and the partygoers cheered them when they arrived. Shego kept her foul mood well-hidden as she entered the place, and she walked with Josh to the huge living room in the rear of the house.

The living room was professionally decorated with ornaments that were both pristine and opulent. A lighted showcase was conspicuously placed near the entrance to the room. Its glass shelves were filled with medals, trophies, and other awards the Rockwaller children had won over the years. On the top of the case sat a framed sixteen-by-twenty copy of Bonnie's senior picture. The portrait itself was adorned with medals and carefully crafted decorations, making it look as though the whole display was a shrine for the youngest Rockwaller.

Shego sat quietly on one of the smooth leather chairs, and she watched after Josh as he trotted to the kitchen to get their drinks. She merely absorbed the atmosphere of the party--hoping it would lift her spirits--and she admired the pictures and artifacts of the Rockwaller home. She absentmindedly gazed down the hall, to what she presumed to be Bonnie's room, and saw a sign which read "I love me" hanging from Bonnie's door. Shego overheard a conversation, a few feet off to her right.

"Of course I'll always be there for you, Brick." It was Bonnie. "Why are you so afraid I'll leave you?"

Brick stood next to Bonnie, crestfallen. "Well, sometimes when you look at other guys . . . I don't know. I get to thinking, you'll ditch me for the next guy who comes along."

Bonnie giggled as though he had said something really cute. "Oh, you're just being silly."

"Yeah, that's what Amelia said, just before she broke up with me. You have no idea what it's like, for someone to dump you. Without even so much as an explanation. Without a goodbye. And just leave you alone, heartbroken."

Shego looked down, deep in thought, with a despondent look upon her face. Perhaps Bonnie didn't know what it was like to be jilted. But Shego knew. She knew all too well, and she knew yet another person who was at this moment feeling that very same pain.

She looked up to the partygoers, who all seemed to be having a great time, contrasting the sorrowful face she last saw on Kim Possible. Then Shego gazed at her reflection in the picture window next to her. "Look at me. What have I become?" she whispered to herself. Shaking her head, she spoke to her reflection. "What have you been doing all these years? Look at all you've missed, Shego. And what hurt you've spread . . . the same hurt _you_ felt once."

She stood up suddenly, and ran towards Josh, who was returning with their drinks. "Josh! Josh, we need to talk." She gathered her thoughts. "I can't do this. I can't--"

Josh saw the expression on her face, and he looked at her sourly. "You're breaking up with me?"

"Oh, no . . . it's not like that." She fought for words, but she had no idea how to explain herself to him. "You're wonderful, sweet, and a lot of fun to be with . . ." Shego stifled a gasp. _Did those words actually pass my lips? Whatever happened to my sarcasm?_

"But you don't want to go out anymore," Josh finished for her. Although he was not deeply wounded, he was still disappointed and angry.

"No, it's not like that. And I never wanted to hurt your feelings. It's just that I can't continue this. I'm going away, starting tonight, anyway."

"Say _what?_"

"Look, this isn't about me. Or you. This is about someone who thinks about you all the time. Someone who is going to be hurt so bad if I stay with you, she may never recover. She loves you! And I owe it to her to stop this . . . this charade. The person I'm talking about is K--"

"Charade!" Josh gasped. "Is that what you call this?" Disgruntled, he began to turn away. "A simple, 'Josh, it's over, thank you for letting me use you' would have been more gracious."

"Yes! I used you! Well, no . . . I didn't use you. Yes, I used you, but not in the way you think." She tossed up her hands and looked above in frustration. "Oh, how can I explain this to you?"

He stared. "Is that random, or what? It's like you don't even know who you are."

Shego stopped, and looked up to him blankly. "No. You're right. I'm not sure who I am right now."

Shego could not let him go like this. She would give him a final kiss goodbye. Then she would bring him to Kim Possible. She would drag him kicking and screaming to the girl, if necessary. Josh was _Kim's_ man! And Shego would never come between them again.

Josh was about to turn and storm out when Shego caught him in her arms. She closed her eyes and brought her lips to his for one final time.

Bonnie tried to snap Brick from his funk by challenging him to a game of darts. She led him through the crowds in the hallway, towards the rec room. It was then she saw a determined face stare at her from the front door window. She rolled her eyes. "I don't believe it. It's her."

Bonnie stomped to the door, and opened it merely to berate the girl on the porch. "What are _you_ doing here, Kim? You weren't invited. I think it's time for you to go. And heaven forbid you show your face in school ever again."

"No! I'm not leaving!" Kim cried. "I want to see Shego. Where is she?"

Kim pushed her way past a totally appalled Bonnie and muscled her way through the crowd, to the back family room, where she found Josh and Shego finishing their kiss. She lurched to a stop at the center of the room, watched the couple for an instant, and felt tears fill her eyes. She fought for words. "Oh, Josh!"

Josh stared at Kim, baffled; he had no clue why she was upset. Kim looked around, feeling everybody staring at her. She whipped around and bellowed, "You're all in this, aren't you? Or don't you know? Shego's a master criminal! Don't let her pretty face fool you. She tried to kill me a dozen times! She's even tried to kill all of you!"

Kim pleaded in vain. To the others, Kim was ranting like a lunatic. No one dared move, or speak. Bonnie, Tara, Josh--practically everyone Kim saw every day at Middleton High--were now witnessing their classmate's total meltdown.

Kim couldn't bear it any longer. "Isn't anybody listening? Doesn't anybody care?" she cried.

Shego's face fell, and she looked on in pity as Kim bowed her head and wept. "Kim, I--"

Kim stood up furiously, and raged at Shego. "You! Y-you did this to me! You! You little snake!"

Kim lunged at Shego, but a couple of boys restrained her. "Let me go! Let me go! She's not what you think she is!"

By this time, Officer Hobble and half a dozen patrol officers had made their way into the house. They followed Bonnie to her family room, whereupon she most willingly pointed them towards the crazed young woman. The police moved towards Kim, and Kim struggled against the students who held her. "No! No! You can't do this to me!"

Bonnie fumed. "Please remove her from the premises. Just go ahead and arrest her."

Officer Hobble looked at Kim sorrowfully. "Kim, it's time to go."

"No! You're not going to arrest me! You can't!" Mustering every bit of her strength, she wrested free from her captors, pushed her way past the crowd, and ran outside.

Monique was in her bedroom, getting ready for work. She had dressed and was putting the finishing touches on her makeup, when she glanced through her window and noticed Ron walking down the street, seemingly oblivious to the rain that began to fall. It was so unusual for Monique to see him walking home from cheerleading practice without Kim, that she sensed something terribly amiss. She grabbed her umbrella, ran outside, and chased him down. "Ron, where's Kim?"

He shrugged sadly. "I have no clue, Monique. It looks like we're not hanging anymore."

"I haven't seen much of her, either. Last time I saw her was at Bueno Nacho a few days ago, and she really wasn't herself." Monique frowned. "Something's not right."

"K.P.!" Ron saw Kim running towards them, and he was overjoyed.

Kim ran, visibly shaken, and she appeared almost as though she were in a trance. "Where's my Pandaroo? I need my Pandaroo. And my blankie. Where's my _Pandaroo?_" She ran right past her friends without looking at them.

Monique stared as Kim ran down the street. "Oh, man, she is really losing it."

Ron nodded. "Something definitely is not four-square here."

"You have to go after her!"

"You're coming with me, aren't you?"

"I so wish, but my shift at Club Banana starts in twenty minutes. Go. I'll call in to see if I can get a replacement tonight. Or at the very least, I'll call Kim the moment I get there. I'm really worried about her, and I hope you can find out what's wrong."

"Okay, I'm off. Wish me luck!" He turned to leave.

"It's starting to rain. Here, take this umbrella."

"Yes! Umbrella! Thanks." He began to run off.

"Ron, you left your backpack."

"Oh, duh!" Ron ran back to her, handed Rufus to her, scooped up his backpack, and took off again.

Monique looked panicked. "Ron! Don't forget Rufus!" She held Rufus out to him.

"Rufus!" He ran back to retrieve his pet from her, and he turned around to run again.

"Oh, and Ron . . ."

He whipped around, exasperated. "_What?_"

"Be a hero."

He stopped, walked calmly back to her, and smiled. "Just maybe for the first time, I can be."

Kim bounded into her house, and she scampered up to her room, without a word to the rest of her family.

Her mother and father, sharing coffee and reading the paper at the kitchen table, heard her as she dashed in. "Kimmie, is that you?"

Jim and Tim noticed Kim's strange expression as she came inside, and they slunk up her stairs to peek in on her. Kim was sitting on the floor. She had already thrown on her nightwear and bunny slippers and had wrapped herself in a blanket, and she rocked back and forth, hugging her Pandaroo doll.

The tweebs stared at her. "What's with _you?_"

Kim looked dazed. "I need a hug. I need somebody. Anybody." Kim sniffled as she rubbed Pandaroo against her cheek.

Jim and Tim grimaced. "_What?_"

"Eww, Kim's getting gross."

The twins made goofy faces at her and laughed as they bounced back down the stairs. "Mom! Kim's acting weird. It's like she's having a nervous breakdown or something."

Kim's mom waved them off. "Well, that's sweet. Our daughter's having her very first nervous breakdown."

Dad smiled proudly. "I remember _my_ first nervous breakdown. Boy, that was a doozey. But after a while they kind of grow on you."

Kim put her head down and wept again. Were they making fun of her, or were they serious? Either way, they had no clue what she was going through.

The doorbell rang. Kim's dad answered the door, and then called upstairs. "Kimmie Cub, it's Officer Hobble. He wants to see you."

Kim leaped up. "No! No! No! He's not going to arrest me!"

"But--"

Before anyone could react, Kim leaped out of her window, climbed down the side of her house, and dashed out of the yard into the rain. She ran deliriously across the city, splashing across streaming gutters and creeks, and up a hill and across a footbridge, to an isolated park along the edge of the Middleton River.

She staggered alone along the path, amid the mud and the gravel. She threw herself against a willow tree and gripped it briefly, then she made her way in the fog to the bank of the river.

Exhausted, she dropped herself there and continued to brood about how her entire life had evaporated in just a few short weeks. Her cheerleading position--gone. All of her friends--gone. Her life as a crime fighter--gone. Her hopes for a scholarship, or even a place in a decent college--gone. And worst of all, her hopes for Josh Mankey--gone. Forever. And to top it all off, she was now a fugitive.


	21. Shego Rocks!  Act II, Chapter 20

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks!_

TWENTY

Ron had run to Kim's house, but just as he reached her street, he saw Kim jump from her window and run away. He yelled after her, but to no avail. Out of breath, he stopped and sighed, looking sadly after her as she faded into the drizzly fog. "It's no use, Rufus," he said, hyperventilating. "The moment we catch up to K.P., she runs off again. We'll never catch her."

Uttering worried squeaks to Ron, Rufus pointed in the direction Kim had run.

"You're right, Rufus. What's with the pajamas? And why is she running everywhere? Kim's in trouble, and she needs me." He began to run again, and he quickened his pace. "And when it comes to _my_ Kim, I will never give up."

Ron followed the footprints down the street, across a main highway, and through an open field. He saw that she had splashed carelessly through some muddy areas--very uncharacteristic for his usually neat friend. After crossing the field, he climbed the hill and crossed the footbridge across the Middleton River, to a secluded park where he finally spotted Kim.

He stared at the pitiable girl before him. She was all alone, sitting at the river's edge, in the rain. She had lost her slippers, and her night clothes were soaked and muddy. Her normally beautiful red hair was now a matted mess, hanging limply along the sides of her pale face.

From inside Ron's pocket, Rufus stared at her in awe.

Ron held the umbrella above her, to shield her from the cold drizzle. Sensing his presence, she looked around herself, and then up to him.

"Ron?"

"Kim, I've been worried sick about you. What happened? Why are you sitting alone out here?"

Kim couldn't answer. She just looked down and shivered.

"You're going to freeze to death in this rain. Here, I'll help you get home."

Kim just sobbed. "I . . . I don't have a home. Mom and Dad don't know what I'm going through, and they don't care. And everyone hates me now. I don't have anyone. I don't have anything."

"What do you mean, you don't have anything? What about Team Possible?"

He then saw her grasp her Kimmunicator in her cold hands. She pushed the "on" button with her thumb, and it emitted the familiar four-note signal, but otherwise the device appeared to be dead. Then she clicked it off. She kept on clicking it on and off, as though she was in a trance, but the screen remained blank.

She burst into tears again. "Everything I ever worked for, everything I ever dreamed for, everything I ever loved . . . is gone." She buried her head in her arms. "I can't go on. I can't . . ." She sniffled. "You remember when you said no villain had ever beaten me?" She began laughing in a way that made Ron very uneasy. "Well, it's finally happened. A villain has beaten me. Shego has beaten me!" Kim began her strange laugh again.

Ron stared at her, shocked. He had never seen Kim act so utterly defeated. "Don't think about Shego. Think about _you_."

Still sitting upon the ground, Kim looked away, and her tears continued. "There is no me. Kim Possible is dead, and there's nothing left of her."

"Kim, don't talk like that--"

Kim turned to Ron suddenly. "What, are you going tell me I can do anything? That anything is possible for a Possible?" She brought her hands to her chin. "Well, take a good look at me now! See, this is what I do best! Absolutely nothing! Go, Ron. Take Rufus, and go back to your burritos and your video games and your life at Middleton High with Tara and Amelia and Zita . . . and forget about me . . . just leave me here . . ."

She glared hatefully at him for a moment as the rain and tears streamed down her face, and she buried her head in her arms again. "Just leave me here."

Ron reflected for a moment. "Okay, so maybe Shego has beaten you. So maybe Josh and your family and everybody in Middleton hates you. So maybe the whole world's given up on you." He straightened up. "But I'm still here. And I'm never going to leave you."

He moved in closer. "I will never give up on you, Kim Possible."

Kim lifted her head slightly.

Ron crouched down next to her. "Shoot--we've been together since pre-K, so why should anything be any different between us now? And did you notice something? That out of all the girls of Middleton High, I'm spending this moment with you?" He thought for a moment. "Well, actually, most girls would toss me into the street, but never mind. This moment is for you."

She looked up to him.

He slouched, and his voice began to crack. "And if anything ever happened to you, I wouldn't know what to do with myself."

Ron remained there for what seemed to be an eternity. Then he noticed Kim's expression change from a look of hatred to something softer, and she looked up to Ron as though a great truth had been revealed to her. And whether tears were pouring down her face, or raindrops, he couldn't tell.

Then all at once, Kim smiled, sprang to her feet, and embraced Ron tightly.

For his part, all Rufus could do was pop out of Ron's pocket, look up, and sigh. "Aww."

"Ron," she whispered in his ear. "I just realized how I can beat this thing. It was so obvious. If I weren't so bull-headed, I wouldn't have let Shego have power over me." But she couldn't continue, for exhaustion had overtaken her.

Ron escorted his barely-conscious friend back to her house. And, after she changed into dry clothes and toweled her hair dry, he led her up her stairs--half carrying her--to her bedroom. She flopped onto her bed, curled up with her blanket and Pandaroo, and within seconds she was fast asleep.

Ron felt it best to sit and wait downstairs. The rest of Kim's family was out--Ron figured they were all searching for Kim--and he wanted to field any incoming calls. His hunch was correct, for within minutes the telephone rang. The caller I.D. revealed the call was from Wade, and Ron picked it up.

"Hey, Wade."

"Ron! Thank goodness I got a hold of you. I've been trying to reach Kim for hours. Is she all right?"

"Well, I think K.P. has seen better days. But at least she's safe in bed now."

"Ron, if Shego ever returns to Middleton High, stay away from her!"

"Uh . . . say what?"

"Shego's been trying to ruin Kim. She's been playing her for a sucker! Everything that has happened with Shego since she became a student, has just been a set-up!"

"I never saw Shego do anything . . ."

"I finally decoded that encrypted recording from that device Kim found in her bedroom. Here . . . I'll play it for you."

Wade pushed a button, and the recording played back. Ron heard Drakken's voice first.

"So," Drakken said, "you're ready to become a high school girl again, eh, Shego?"

"No, I'm _not_ ready." It was Shego's voice. "High school is the stupidest place on earth." She laughed. "But it'll be so worth it to get rid of Kimmie."

"Now, you know what to do once you get there," Drakken said.

Shego sighed. "Yes, Doctor D. I infiltrate all her clubs, where I take away all her titles. Knock her off the cheerleading team. Steal her boyfriend. _Et cetera, et cetera._"

"You think you can do it?"

"Oh, _yeah_. I can beat Kimmie at everything in school. You just watch. And, oh yeah, she'll crack. She'll crack like a piece of cheap china. The key is, I have to do all this while I stay on her good side."

Drakken gloated. "Ooh, this is going to be fun!"

"Oh, fun for you!" Shego groaned. "You aren't coming along, and I'm the one who has to endure Kimmie and her dopey sidekick for as long as it takes for her to fall." She laughed evilly. "But you're right. It's going to be lots of fun watching Kimmie suffer."

The recording ended.

Ron stood, stunned. It took him a full minute to bring himself to say anything. He could barely speak. "Shego _lied_ to us? She never wanted to become a good person? And everything was just a sham? We were all played for fools."

"And that's not the worst of it," Wade said. "Drakken is taking advantage of the situation. He and Shego are now on their way to NAMC, in a helicopter equipped with a metal-melting ray gun."

"Uh, what's NAMC?"

"Nuclear Aerospace Missile Command. It's the nerve center to the country's strategic defense system," Wade said. "Basically, Drakken will have control over the world's largest nuclear arsenal. He'll be able to fry any country that doesn't do his bidding." Wade's voice raised with alarm. "With Team Possible out of action, nothing can stop him."

Ron looked up to Kim, who was sleeping peacefully in her bed. He frowned, clenched his hands, and glanced down to Rufus. "No. Team Possible is _not_ out of action. There is another half still available and unshaken. Give me Drakken's coordinates, Wade. I'm going to go kick some booty!"

Kim awoke about a half hour after Ron left. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, wishing everything had just been a bad dream, but she slowly came to realize it wasn't. She held her head in her hands. "My life is _so_ over," she sighed. And for once, it wasn't too big an exaggeration.

But there was one bright spot left in her life, and once she remembered, she leapt to her feet. "Ron!" She called downstairs, but there was no answer. She phoned Ron's place but only got his answering machine. She threw up her hands. "Ron? Where are you? I _so_ need to talk to you!"

Her Kimmunicator was still malfunctioning, so her last resort was to go to her web page. Hopefully she could reach Wade, and find Ron from there. She turned on her computer and was immensely relieved to see Wade waiting for her.

"Wade," she began, "Where's R--"

"Kim! Crisis city! Drakken and Shego are in a chopper on the way to NAMC with a metal-melting ray. They're--"

"Wait a second. Rewind. You said Drakken and _Shego?_"

"Yeah! They're back together. Or, I should say, they never really were apart."

"Okay, now I'm majorly confused."

Wade sighed. He wished he weren't the bearer of such horrid news, but he had an obligation to reveal the truth to her. He played the recording of Drakken and Shego.

Kim listened, agape. Her face grew red, her body tensed, and her eyes filled with tears of hatred.

Finally, Wade spoke. "Ron's already on his way to the helicopter. So, are you going after them?"

Kim could barely see, out of fury. "Oh, _yeah_. You'd better believe I'm going." She turned away, and punched a fist hard into her palm. "So, this is your game, eh, Shego? This is _so_ ferociously beyond low. I'm coming for you, Shego. I'm coming. And this time it's _personal_."


	22. Shego Rocks!  Act II, Chapter 21

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks!_

TWENTY-ONE

A helicopter coasted through the clouds, ten thousand feet above the midwestern plains. Doctor Drakken gloated as he piloted the aircraft.

"So, was your little field trip a success?" Drakken asked.

Shego sat in the front passenger seat, rested her chin in her hands, and stared blankly out the open side door to the panorama below. "Yeah," she finally answered. "It was a success." She was once again wearing her familiar green-and-black jumpsuit and a new pair of clawed gloves. She moved her fingers within them, as though the gloves were strangely foreign to her. "We figured we'd have to try something completely new. It sure _was_ different . . . and it worked."

Drakken laughed loudly. "I knew it! I knew it! See--we're not as dumb as we look, after all. And to think, we didn't have to use weapons, martial arts, poison, or newfangled gadgets. And I owe it all to you, Shego. You're the only one who could have pulled it off."

"Yea, me." Shego shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Hey, can we get this over with? I'm tired and I just want to go home."

Drakken stared at his sidekick, for she hardly looked like someone about to revel in the spoils of world conquest. "You're not yourself today, Shego. Homesick for high school, eh? Or is it that boy who took you to the dance? Hmm . . . what was his name?"

"Josh somebody. Well, he was all right. Nothing to write home about, though. I only kissed him and stuff because I knew it would get to Kim Possible."

"Well, cheer up, Shego. Look, see--I got you the green helicopter, the one with the lighted mirror you can use for your makeup." He gloated. "And everything is going according to plan. You're sure Kim Possible is thoroughly demoralized?"

"Last I saw her, she was a total mess. You wouldn't even recognize her." Shego put her chin in her hands and looked outside again. "She'll never bother us again," she said plainly. "She'll never be the same."

"You did well, Shego."

"I did well?" Without looking up, she sighed. "Yeah. Maybe a little too well."

She heard odd scraping sounds behind her. Shego looked out the door and saw Ron clinging to a strut on the side of the aircraft, and he looked a little pale from fright. She reached for him and dragged him inside.

Shego frowned at him. "Ron! What are you doing here?"

He looked at her determinedly. "I've come to stop you, Shego."

"Wha--?" Shego rolled her eyes. "Oh, puh-_leeze_. You're just going to get yourself killed. I don't want anything to happen to you. Now go back and take care of Kim. Is she all right?"

Drakken's jaw dropped. "Wait, wait, wait. What kind of talk is that? Shego! What's happened to you?"

Shego turned to Drakken suddenly. "Hey, no talk about going soft, okay? I have to work this out myself."

Drakken ranted. "Okay, while you're working things out, I've got an evil plan to execute that _you_ started. Sorry if this inconveniences you, but our success still depends on _you_. And if we fail, it's back to the big house for the both of us. Prison, you _do_ remember that, don't you, Shego?"

Shego heaved a frustrated sigh. "Ron . . . look, you have to go. It'd be best for everyone."

"I am _not_ leaving!" Ron flashed his teeth. "And no, Kim is not all right. I can't believe you betrayed her like that! And to think you started out so nice to us!"

"Well, I told Kim I was a thespian in my high school. Aren't I just a wonderful actress? You know, I did Shakespeare plays and all that."

"You played Desdemona, right?"

"Hmm . . . how'd you know?"

"Lucky guess." Ron looked around. "Now, what control panel button do I push to abort this mission? Is there a self-destruct switch anywhere over here?" He lurched towards the cockpit.

"Uh, uh, uh. I can _not_ let you touch a thing." Shego wrestled him to the floor, bound him up with nylon cords, and sat him in one of the rear bench seats. She also tied a gag around his mouth, and she made sure Rufus was secured inside Ron's pocket. "This _is_ an evil operation, and, hey, I'm going through with it." Shego looked at him smugly. "Thank you for flying Drakken Airlines. We are now cruising over Iowa at eleven thousand feet, and we will reach our destination in thirty minutes. Please, no smoking during the flight. Do I hear any requests for refreshments?"

Ron struggled with his gag. "Mmm-hmm-HMM-mmm-mmm!"

Shego looked at him. "Ooh, sorry. We're fresh out of that. Better luck next time." She headed towards the cabin, and she turned back and laughed. "I had almost forgotten how much fun being evil can be." She waved. "Talk to you again, when Drakken and I are world overlords."

Shego made her way to the cabin and slumped in the co-pilot's seat, and sighed. "Peace and quiet." She glanced back to see if Ron was okay, but she avoided eye contact with him.

They heard another strange thumping sound above them.

Drakken grimaced, and looked around. "Oh, _now_ what?"

Immediately, they saw a face appear on the other side of the windshield above them, staring down at them hatefully.

Drakken fairly screamed. "Kim Possible!"

Smiling, Shego jumped up excitedly. "And she's all right!" She flinched suddenly, and looked over to Drakken. "Uh, I mean, that's terrible . . . she's all right, and she really shouldn't be!"

Drakken seethed. "Shego. You're a villain, remember? You want every villain in the world to know you've gone soft? Do you really want to have family reunions with your brothers?"

Shego looked down and scowled. "Villain. Right. Gotcha."

Shego was about to meet Kim at the cabin door, when Kim swung inside, connecting a powerful double-footed kick into Shego's chest, and Shego fell backwards. Shego countered with a slash of her clawed glove. She missed Kim, but she cut the strap to Kim's backpack. The backpack--parachute and all--sailed out the door and into oblivion.

Kim glared at Shego. "What, no 'I'm going to cut you off there,' this time?" Kim lashed at her as though she were possessed. She kicked and punched with fury Shego had never faced before, battering at her again and again and again. She landed a punch on Shego's midsection, sending Shego reeling, and Shego retreated to the outside of the helicopter, fighting to keep her footing upon the runner.

Kim followed her outside. She lunged at Shego again, with a wide arm swing. Shego countered by tackling Kim, and she dragged her to the runner, where they rolled together, nearly dropping off the edge. Since neither of them now carried a parachute, if either of them fell, it would be to her death.

Kim didn't care. Even while Shego appeared to panic, Kim wrestled her along the runner, all the while crying, "Why did you do it? Why? Why?"

Shego made one final effort to break free from Kim's hold, kicking her legs upward and over Kim's head. But Shego overdid it: she looped her legs all the way overboard, and she fell from the helicopter. Kim still lay facedown on the runner, gripping one of Shego's arms. Kim's hold was now the only thing standing in the way of Shego's demise.

Kim held fast to the other young woman's arm. Shego gazed up into Kim's eyes with terror and saw what clearly must have been sheer hatred.

"You're going to drop me, aren't you?" Shego gasped. "Go ahead--get it over with."

Kim held her stare upon the other woman, her eyes flashing. "That would make you happy, wouldn't it? No. I'm going to save your miserable little life," she snarled. "You're going to live a long time, thinking about what you have done to me. Oh, what was I ever thinking, agreeing to help you?" Kim began to get choked up. "I trusted you! I thought you were a dear friend, and I trusted you! I thought there was something way down deep inside you. Something remotely resembling a heart. But you stabbed me in the back. You stabbed me in the back, and twisted the blade." Kim fought back tears. "You're never going to be anything but a selfish, cynical, unfeeling little woman, are you?"

Shego gurgled slightly and held her breath. She let the question sink in for a moment. She couldn't answer.

With an angry yank, Kim Possible pulled her adversary up to the runner and to safety. Shego grabbed onto a strut and regained her balance.

Before anyone could react, however, Kim found herself suddenly bound by half a dozen flying nylon cords. The ropes came from the direction of the helicopter cabin, from which emitted peals of laughter.

Shego blinked. "Doctor D?"

As he peered from the open door to the cabin, Drakken laughed at Kim. "Now, that was easy. Get in here, Shego; we have a world to conquer. Gag the girl and sit her with the buffoon, and let's get down to business."

Kim gritted her teeth. "Shego--"

But before Kim could say another word, Shego had tied a gag around Kim's head. The woman in green then dragged the cheerleader into the cabin and tossed her into the back seat, next to Ron. Kim gazed at her questioningly.

Returning her gaze, Shego shrugged. "Don't you see, Kimmie? I've got an evil reputation to protect. Look, I'm sorry my stint as a goodie-goodie didn't work out. But as I told you, I was born to be evil. I might as well play the part."

Shego hadn't noticed that Rufus had chewed through Ron's cords, freeing his hands and legs. Ron pulled off his gag and faced Shego. "You don't really believe that, do you? You played the good person part really well."

Shego groaned loudly, fired up her claws, and shoved them in front of Ron's face. They reflected off his eyes like a pair of huge green torches. "Are _these_ the hands of a good person? And my face, the face of a good person?" she roared.

Fully knowing he risked death with the wrong answer, he said meekly, "They _could_ be the hands of a good person. With enough practice. And as for the face thing--well, what did _you_ think, when you did your new clothes and makeup stuff, Shego?"

Shego balked, completely surprised at Ron's comeback.

Ron continued. "What was it like for you, over on our side of the fence? The good side, I mean. Was it all totally bogus, or were there some good moments for you?"

Shego absorbed Ron's words. And Ron couldn't believe it, but he thought he saw Shego's eyes fill with tears as she stared at him. She winced, and held her head in her hands, as though she felt agonizing pain. Then she roared again, raising her flaming right hand, preparing to strike Ron. "Ahh! Enough!"

Ron screamed and rolled out of Shego's reach an instant before she took a swipe at him. He climbed the wall of the cabin, but he continued to pepper her with questions. "Did you like having friends?"

She shrieked and threw a green fireball at him. He jumped away from it, clinging to the other side of the cabin. "Having someone to talk to?"

She shot two more fireballs, which he dodged again. "Maybe even having a friend who loved you, like Kim did?"

Ron's words were too much for Shego to take. "Nooooooooo!" She hurled herself viciously at Ron, both hands fully blazing. He barely managed to squirm out of Shego's path, and he fell to the seat next to the open door. Shego slammed hard into the wall, and the momentum of her knee shoved Rufus out of Ron's pocket.

Rufus fell onto Kim's grappling gun. The gun discharged, sending the grappling hook upward, out the door. The hook and line flew into the rotor blades of the chopper's main propeller. It entangled itself among the rotors and shaft and stuck fast. Everyone on board gasped as they watched the propeller blades slow, emitting an eerie whining sound. Smoke began to billow from the engine housing.

Then, the engine exploded. The impact sent Rufus sailing into Ron's chest, and he clung tightly to Ron as they tumbled out of the craft. "Kim!" Ron's voice faded quickly as he fell into the mist. Then Kim heard a faint popping sound below, and she heaved a sigh of relief, for she knew that meant that Ron's parachute had opened and that he and Rufus were floating to safety.

By this time, the helicopter was losing altitude rapidly. Shego grabbed the stick from Drakken, and she fought hard to control the craft. "9500 feet . . . 9000 feet . . . 8500 feet!" she exclaimed.

Dr. Drakken was vexed. "My plans for world domination, foiled again! Why? Why? Why?" He pointed an accusatory finger at Kim. "Kim Possible, you think you're all that--"

Shego rolled her eyes. "Oh, put a sock in it, and let's get out of here! This thing's going to crash!"

As he screamed loudly, Drakken wasted no time bailing out. A moment later, another pop was heard below, indicating Drakken's 'chute had opened.

Two people remained in the ill-fated helicopter, but Shego alone possessed a parachute.

Shego donned her helmet and fixed her goggles over her eyes; she sat herself at the edge of the runner, preparing to jump. She looked back to Kim, who was still helplessly bound and gagged. "_Sayonara_, princess." She gave Kim a farewell salute.

Kim knew then that she was doomed. She would watch Shego bail out, and then in a few seconds, it would all be over. She looked over to Shego in horror for an instant, then she sank back in her seat, looked down, and sighed in resignation, silently telling herself to be brave during her last few moments on earth, and hoping the end would come quickly. She only wished she had had a chance to say a final goodbye to the people she loved.

Shego kept looking at Kim, and her countenance suddenly lowered. She looked down, and then looked at Kim again. "No," she mumbled. "No. This isn't right."

Shego climbed back into the cabin and unstrapped her parachute from her shoulders. In almost a single motion, she strapped the 'chute onto Kim's back, and with her claw, slashed the cord that bound Kim's hands. Then, she gave Kim a sharp kick in the butt. Kim wondered for an instant why Shego had kicked her, until she realized she was falling rapidly, back first, and she could see she was falling away from the crippled aircraft. Her hands now free, she instinctively grabbed the ripcord, and the parachute popped open.

Shego looked down wistfully at Kim. "Please do me a favor," she muttered, "and _don't_ splat, okay?"

All this had happened very quickly, before Kim could even react. But she stared in amazement and wonder as she now realized that Shego had sacrificed herself to save her life. She dangled helplessly, watching Shego frantically pull back on the stick in the cockpit, vainly trying to stabilize the helicopter. Shego managed to slow the fall a bit, but the machine continued to dive wickedly towards the ground. The helicopter screeched and twisted as it fell below Kim, and it smashed into an open field. Debris scattered everywhere, and the chopper's hull dug an eighty foot long trench.

Kim glided to rest about a hundred yards away from the crash site. She scrambled desperately to get to the wreckage, but her legs were still bound. She pulled off her gag and screamed for Shego. Then she saw a figure roll slowly out of the smoldering hull and fall to the earth. The figure, barely alive, crept out of the trench and crawled about thirty feet away from the hull, which erupted in a spectacular explosion.

Kim managed to stumble to within a few feet of Shego, who gave her a mournful glance and turned to creep away from her.

Kim gasped for breath. "Shego! Y-you just saved my life."

Shego didn't answer. She just fell over, holding her side and wincing from the pain. Kim could tell by Shego's expression that she was gravely injured. Shego got up to her knees, collapsed, rose again, and collapsed again.

"Shego, wait!"

Shego made one final effort. She scooped herself up and slinked away into the fog.

Kim bowed her head for a moment, then managed to cut the rest of the cords off herself, and she picked herself off the ground. She looked out in the direction Shego had gone. "But . . . why?"

But Kim didn't call to Shego a second time, because she already knew the answer.


	23. Shego Rocks!  Act II, Chapter 22

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks!_

TWENTY-TWO

It was a solemn plane ride home for Kim, Ron, and Rufus. Global Justice had sent a chartered plane to return them home, and it seemed especially quiet and lonely sitting in a commercial jet with only two people and a naked mole rat as passengers. Kim slumped back in her chair, and looked blankly out the window. Ron and Rufus respected her wish to be left alone with her thoughts. She had multiple reasons to feel downcast, and the fact that she had saved the world yet one more time offered little consolation.

It rained, and the raindrops that fell against the window beaded up like little teardrops.

"Shego's dead," Kim said finally. Because of all that had happened, it was very difficult for her to talk about it. "She went down with the helicopter. When I saw her last, she was dying, and she crawled away. And like a wounded animal, she found some secluded place to die. Wade and Global Justice tracked her signal for a few minutes, until it faded away for the last time. They've seen nothing since. She's gone."

Kim looked down. "You know, you think you know someone, but then all of a sudden, you see that person in a whole new way. I know I'll never think of Shego the same way ever again." She looked over to him. "I might not think of _anyone_ the same way again." She grabbed a tissue, and dabbed her eyes. "I must be going crazy. For a fleeting moment, I wanted to say I'm going to miss her."

Ron looked over at her as she turned quietly to look out the window again. "You're not crazy."

She didn't respond, just sat motionlessly again, staring into the gray foggy sky. All the while, a sweet yet hauntingly sad melody played in her mind. Chopin's _Prelude in D-flat_. And she had a fleeting vision--a memory of Shego playing the piece.

They returned to Middleton International Airport just as the sun was setting, and they disembarked the plane to a quiet, deserted terminal lobby. There were no cheering crowds, no family to greet them. Only emptiness.

"Well," she sighed. "I guess it's time I turned myself in."

"_What?_"

"Yeah. There's a warrant out for my arrest."

Ron was stunned. "For _what?_"

"Well, trespassing, for starters. Disturbing the peace. And for resisting arrest." She smirked wryly. "Maybe they'll release me early for good behavior." She looked down in resignation, and sighed. "But my real punishment will come when I have to walk the halls at school . . . or try to sit at Bueno Nacho. Now I'm going to find out what you had to go through for so long, when everybody acts like I'm a loser. Except for you and Rufus, I haven't a friend in the world now."

"Oh, Kim . . . this is _so_ too harsh for someone like you."

"Yeah, well, what can you do? Life goes on. It isn't always fair, but life goes on."

"Me and Rufus will always be around, if you ever need us."

She looked around for a final time, and then she said, "We don't have any luggage to check in. Let's go." She walked slowly up the ramp leading out of the terminal. "Ron, maybe this isn't the best time, but there's something I have to tell you--"

A voice called for her from within the hallway ahead. "Kim? Kim Possible?"

It was Tara. Kim had last seen her at Bonnie's party, and Tara was literally sprinting towards her.

"Tara?"

Tara caught up with Kim and Ron. She was totally out of breath. "Oh, Kim! Kim! I'm so glad I found you! They're coming! They're all coming!"

"Wait. Who's coming?"

"Everybody. Your mom and dad, Monique, Josh, Bonnie, Mister Barkin . . . everyone in Middleton is on their way here! To see you!"

Kim's jaw dropped. "But . . . why?"

"You'd better sit down for this one."

Kim saw that Tara was serious, and so she led the others to some of the seats in the terminal.

Tara was still breathless and excited. "You don't know what happened at Bonnie's party, do you?"

"Yeah, I went off my nut, and I made a total fool of myself. So what else is new?"

"No, no. I mean afterward."

"Afterward?" Kim shook her head and shrugged.

"It was just an unbelievable scene. Bonnie laughed at you while you ran out, and the cops followed you. Then Shego shouted out to everybody, 'I can't do this anymore!' She jumped up on a table and pointed straight at Bonnie. Shego said, 'You wouldn't know a hero if one bit you in the butt. Kim has been every bit a hero, especially considering what she had to go through because of me!' Then Bonnie was like, 'What are you talking about?' You won't believe what happened next. Shego raised her arms above her head, and her hands lit up with green fire! Everyone was totally freaked. Then Shego said, 'Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt anybody! I'm finished with hurting people!' She looked really upset with herself. And then she confessed her whole plot to destroy you. Every last detail . . . how she came to you, how she had you fake her identification, how she plotted to ruin your life, everything. We all just stood there in tears; we began to understand what happened to you. And Shego threw down her tiara, and ran off. But most importantly, before she ran off, she just shook her head and said, 'How can I do this to a friend?'"

Kim looked down and whispered that phrase to herself. "How can I do this to a friend." She leaned over and put her hands to her face. "Those were her final words?"

"Yes."

Kim sat up slowly, barely able to speak, barely able to contain tears. "Thank you, Tara."

Tara gave her a hug. "I'm so sorry for what happened to you. And for my part in it."

"Oh, Tara. You didn't do anything." Kim looked up and saw that people were beginning to stream into the area, led by Officer Hobble.

Officer Hobble approached her. "Kim Possible! I finally found you." Even though it was almost nightfall, he was still wearing his sunglasses, and Kim couldn't tell just how disgruntled he was with her.

Kim sighed. "Well, I guess it's time to go with you now." She turned away from him and offered her wrists behind her back.

Officer Hobble blinked. "Uh, go with me?"

"Yeah, to the station. To be booked, and all."

"Kim, I have no idea what you're talking about."

She turned and stared at him. "Aren't you going to arrest me?"

"Arrest you? Are you kidding? If it weren't for you, the whole world would have been destroyed by now. If word got out I arrested teen hero Kim Possible over a petty misunderstanding, my head would have been on the chopping block."

"But you followed me to my house--"

"Kim, I just came by your house to see if you were okay. And that Rockwaller girl is constantly telling me to arrest anybody who makes her mad. Believe me, she changed her tune the moment Shego broke down and confessed. Rockwaller even begged me not to press charges. As if I would have, anyway."

"Really?" Kim looked somewhat embarrassed about her mistake.

He pulled Kim aside. "But . . . ahem, between you and me, I really wouldn't try to rehabilitate villains anymore. It can lead to big trouble."

Kim squirmed. "Tell me about it."

Kim found herself practically tackled by four people. It was her mom, dad, and brothers.

"Kimmie!" her mother cried. "Thank goodness you're all right. Where were you? We were all so worried. We went looking for you and couldn't find you anywhere."

"Well, I guess I'm okay now. I was out on a mission. You see, I had to stop Drakken from taking over the world again. And I almost got killed--"

"Well, that's a relief," her father said, as he wiped his brow. "At least you weren't out with some boy."

"Possible!"

Kim turned around, and gulped. "Mister Barkin?"

"At ease. You know, your grades have not been--shall we say--_exemplary_ the last few weeks."

"Yes, Mister Barkin."

"And you also know, in this situation, in spite of everything that's happened to you, I always say, 'Tough luck. Cry me a river.'"

She looked down. "Yes, Mister Barkin."

"Well, I'm going to make an exception. Your namby-pamby teachers have gotten together and talked me into granting you a reprieve. All of your scores over the last four weeks have been tossed out and replaced with incompletes. Why they want to turn you into a dependent welfare bum by giving you another chance is beyond me. But there you have it, Possible. You have two weeks come Monday, to finish every assignment. And not one second more! Do I make myself clear?"

Kim was so elated, she was tempted to salute him. "Yes, Mister Barkin!"

Next, Kim saw her cheerleading teammates gather around her, including Bonnie.

Kim looked sheepish. "Bonnie, I am _so_ sorry for making that scene at your house . . ."

Bonnie shook her head. "Look, we need to talk."

"What up?"

"Well, like, the cheerleaders got together, and we all talked about what you went through. And they decided . . . _we_ decided . . . we'd like for you to be our team captain again."

Kim grinned appreciatively.

"And, well . . ." Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Um, the vote was unanimous."

Kim glowed inside; even _Bonnie_ supported her now.

Bonnie cleared her throat. "Oh, and there's one more thing. Not that I'm all happy about it, or anything. But because Shego was disqualified from Homecoming Queen, the title goes to the second place winner." Bonnie held the Homecoming Queen tiara for Kim to take, and she rolled her eyes. "It's yours."

"Oh, Bonnie!" Kim wrapped her arms around the other cheerleader.

Bonnie grimaced. "Okay, okay. Let's not make a scene, Kim. We'll see you next practice, and I _so_ hope you don't have to skip out."

"I won't . . . well, unless it's a real emergency. Promise." Kim kept smiling. "See you, Bonnie."

Bonnie looked back momentarily as she left. Her face faintly showed a look of concern and guilt.

Kim's eyes lit up at the next person to see her. "Monique!"

"Oh, Kim!" Monique threw her arms around her. "I heard about everything that happened. You thought no one liked you any more? I've got to say: I would never, _ever_ ditch you. You have always been such a great friend. Hey--let's make a shopping date, just me and you. And I want to get you something neat from Club Banana. My treat."

"Tomorrow's Saturday. We can go first thing tomorrow."

"Okay! Club Banana tomorrow at ten. Just you and me, girlfriend!"

"Yeah, but only for an hour, then I've got to hit the books again. I have to make up all those incompletes. Bye, Monique! And . . . thanks."

As Monique made her exit, Ron saw that everyone else had left, too, and that there were now only three people left: Kim, Josh, and himself. And he knew the unwritten rule: three's a crowd. "Uh, K.P., I see you've got someone who wants to talk to you. So, uh, I'll see you later." His shoulders slumped as he walked away.

Kim glanced at Ron with concern, but she turned to Josh. The two of them were now alone.

Josh grinned at her. "Gosh, Kim, I'm sorry about what happened with Shego, and all. If I had known about her, I would never have even gotten near her. Eeyuck! Shego's a viper. And I'm glad to see you're all right."

She glowed. "Thanks, Josh."

They walked down the corridor to the airport exit together. "Hey, Kim. I know it's been a long time since we've been out hanging or stuff, but would you like to see a flick with me tonight? I'd like to catch up with you."

Kim stopped. She smiled and laughed nervously. "Well, uh, Josh, I'd _really_ love to, but you see, I have something really important to do. Something I should have done a long time ago."

When his face fell, she blurted out, "But please don't think I don't like you. Please don't think that. I'll always like you. You're a sweet, wonderful guy and all. Um, but life goes on . . . people change, and stuff."

"I really liked going out with you. I had a lot of fun."

She smiled to him. "Yeah. Me, too."

"Well . . . so, I'll see you around, I guess?"

"I'll see you around, Josh."

And with that, Josh Mankey walked away from Kim Possible for the final time.

She looked around her, and for a moment appeared panicked. Then, she spotted Ron, about a hundred meters away, standing alone in the terminal corridor she just walked from. He stared blankly out the big window, mindlessly watching the dusk sky and the landing aircraft.

She approached him gently. "Hey, Ron."

Ron turned. "What happened to Josh, K.P.?"

"He left. He wanted to know if I'd go the movies with him tonight."

"I'm glad you finally got together with him again." He turned and stared out the window again. His eyes glistened.

She folded her hands behind her back, bowed her head, and looked up to him. "We're not together."

Ron looked puzzled. "He practically threw himself at you, and you just blew him off? What happened? Are you mad at him?"

"No. It's just that I realized he's not for me. And I told him there was something I should have done a long time ago."

"What was that?"

Indeed, what should she have done a long time ago, but shared a sweet, special moment with the one person who was always there for her, always cared for her, always loved her. The one who understood her, laughed with her, cried with her. The one with whom she had shared twelve Christmas Eves in a row, watching Snowman Hank while curled up on the couch by the fire. The one with whom she shared a favorite ice cream cone, ten summers before. The one person who never gave up on her in her darkest hour.

The one she had loved for almost her entire life, though she had never consciously realized it. One she had almost carelessly thrown away. But it was not too late, for he stood there before her.

He was her first love. And he would be her last.

She placed the tiara in her hair. Smiling, Kim Possible looked up to Ron for a moment, reached for his hand, and let her fingers slip between his. She squeezed his hand softly, and then brought it up to her mouth slowly, for a couple of tender kisses.

"K.P.?"

He glowed, grinned slightly, and gripped her hand gently in return. She continued to smile warmly to him, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"So, I guess this means we're a team again?" he asked.

She closed her eyes as she continued to hold him tightly. "I think we're going to be partners for a long, long time, Ron."

Rufus jumped onto Ron's shoulder, and shouted with joy.

She looked up to Ron. "I'm so sorry I got mad at you and put you down. You treated me like a queen, and I . . .," She shook her head sorrowfully. "I just treated you like dirt."

He laughed gently. "Hey . . . so not the drama."

He saw her eyes begging him for a kiss. He leaned forward, but a little too quickly, and clunked his forehead into hers. He stood there for a moment, rubbing his head, while Kim giggled. She gestured him to stay motionless, then gently slid her hands under his jaw and slowly brought his mouth to hers. Her lips caressed his, her face flushing, her mouth inviting. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her, and they embraced, mouth-to-mouth, for a long, sweet moment.


	24. Shego Rocks!  Act II, conclusion

David Clark Allen, _Shego Rocks!_

TWENTY-THREE

Three weeks elapsed since that first kiss.

Actually, not a whole lot changed between Kim and Ron; the only noticeable difference was they would often hold hands as they walked to classes, or they would duck behind a door to steal a kiss or two, before Mr. Barkin came around.

But Kim still would roll her eyes at Ron's mascot antics; he still would occasionally gripe about her bossiness. But everything always worked out; it was all part of their wonderful relationship.

Kim worked furiously to make up her incompletes, finishing them all in half the time allotted her. In the end, she maintained her perfect marks. She helped Ron along, too, as he improved his schoolwork. His was hardly perfect work, but at least he was passing, and Kim cheered him upon every new success. Their road to college together was now unobstructed.

Their mission abilities thereafter improved dramatically, as well. The next call from Wade was on a suspected heist by Señor Senior Sr. and son. It turned out Wade was right; the Seniors were in Paris, infiltrating the Louvre, looking for valuables to finance a take-over-the-world scheme. Team Possible pounced upon the pair with precision timing-one on each of the two villains; and they tied up the Seniors before they could even respond. It was thus far their easiest triumph. And they accomplished it through teamwork.

The Paris police came shortly after the duo had subdued the villains.

"_Mon dieu!_ Thank you, Kim Possible. If it weren't for you, the Seniors would have made off with some of the world's most prized treasures!"

"What were they after?"

"Some Stephen Silver originals. Irreplaceable!"

Ron stared at the father-and-son team, appalled. "You ought to be ashamed of yourselves!"

The elder Senior looked surprisingly calm while seated with his body bound, and he turned to Junior. "Ah, here's a situation from which you can learn villainy, my son."

Junior was perplexed. "But they captured us so fast, Father!"

"You see, this is the part where the villain says, 'You haven't seen the last of me, Kim Possible!'"

Junior looked up to Kim. "You haven't seen the last of me, Kim Possible. You will always have a place in my heart."

Senior sighed. "I think we need to work on your villainy lessons some more when we get home, son."

Kim and Ron arranged for a stone monument to be built upon the spot where Shego was last seen.

They traveled out to the site as soon as they were able, bearing flowers and other mementos to adorn the monument. They saw that Shego's brothers had already left flowers at the memorial, and that many people who remembered Shego's good deeds as member of Team Go had left bouquets, too.

Everything was peaceful, and there was no sound other than the gentle breeze. Kim was greatly moved by the sight. She shook her head. "If only you were around to see this, Shego. Who said you were never loved?"

She stood with Ron, hand-in-hand, for a moment of silence. When Ron looked up, his face turned white.

"Kim," Ron squeaked. "It's-it's Drakken . . ." He stared at the mad scientist approaching them from over the hill. "He's come to fry us with a laser!"

Kim gestured to him. "Ron, wait." She looked at the approaching man closely. "It's okay. He's just here to pay his respects."

"And then fry us with a laser!"

"No, it's cool. Just trust me on this. He's alone."

Without a word, Drakken moved up next to the pair and stopped. "Yes. Well. Fine day we're having, isn't it?" He sighed, and appeared to be fighting tears. "She was so young." Drakken looked over to them. "Did you know she was the greatest bedtime story reader? I always fell asleep before she even got halfway through the first chapter."

Ron scratched his head. "Oh."

Kim eyed Drakken. "So, what are you going to do now?"

Drakken shook his head. "I really don't know."

"What about taking over the world?"

Drakken paused. "_What_ world?" He pulled his overcoat tighter around himself, shivered slightly, and then turned to leave. He stopped momentarily to collect his thoughts one last time. "Shego _was_ my world."

Kim and Ron watched in silence as the pitiable man walked away among the dying leaves.

As the weeks passed quietly for Kim and Ron, they made plans for holidays together, graduation together, and college together. Halloween was the first major event for them as a couple. Ron went over to Kim's place as he had every year. But unlike previous years, he cuddled with Kim on her couch.

He looked at her quizzically. "You look different this year, but I'm not exactly sure why."

"Well, what do you think? You've got your arm around me, and you're about three feet closer than last time. And what's more, I'm in love."

"Are you sure I'm not just your rebound, after Josh?"

She looked at him with mock seriousness. "Yes. Twelve years of hanging with you is _so_ rebound." She giggled. "Ron, you were always my love, from the moment I first set eyes on you in pre-K. And I'm not complete without you-at home, at school, or on my missions. I just never admitted it until that night Shego died."

"I'm not complete without you either, K.P." Ron could tell her mind was drifting to a sadder thought, and he held her a little closer. "It's not the same without her around, is it?"

"No, it isn't," she said. "Villain or not, things will never be the same without her. I'd even be relieved to see her glowing hands and hear her insults." She sighed. "I told Hego personally about what happened to Shego. And do you know what her brothers' reaction was? They sent _me_ a sympathy card. Can you imagine that? They wrote to me, sending _me_ condolences for _my_ loss!"

Kim's cell phone rang, and she answered it. Monique was on the other end, and she sounded excited. "Hey, Kim! Got the annual Halloween party action again tonight. It's going to be just super-"

"Your parties are always the most." Kim smiled. "Thanks, Monique, but I've got another party this year. Just for two."

"Ooh, you're going to spend Halloween alone with the Ronster?" Kim could hear Monique's smile in her voice.

"Oh, _yeah_. But save me a candy apple, won't you?"

"I'll save two. Your boyfriend's got quite an appetite. Sorry I don't have any chimiritos, but I don't think he'd mind a candy apple."

"Say, I'll see you around tomorrow, 'kay?"

"Okay, friend! And I'll completely understand if you're wiped out."

Kim grinned slyly. "Thanks, I appreciate that!" She hung up the phone and turned to Ron. "So what's our trick-or-treat costume this year, Ron? You have the unicorn outfit again?

Ron put his hands behind his head and leaned back in thought. "Uh, well, maybe I can do without the T-or-T action this year."

"That's quite a sacrifice. For you, anyway. I can't tell you how touching that is."

"Not that big a sacrifice. Seeing as your 'rents and brothers are away for the evening, and Rufus is upstairs playing in the tube maze. It'll just be you, me, and the trick-or-treaters who come to your door."

Kim looked at him slyly. "And if we take in the jack-o'-lantern and shut the door, there won't even be trick-or-treaters. It'll just be me and you in the dark."

Ron gulped.

"Ooh, that's a scary thought?" Kim teased. "Come here, you. I'll give _you_ a Halloween treat." She put one knee on the couch next to him and, resting her wrists upon his shoulders, guided her face slowly towards his. She nibbled his lower lip gently, he wrapped his arms around her midsection, and the two of them interlocked their mouths.

They were startled by a sharp rap at the front storm door.

Kim groaned and looked up. "Trick-or-treaters, already? It's still early." She went to the door. Instead of children, a bored middle-aged deliveryman stood on her porch. He carried a tall lightweight package covered with green tissue paper.

"Is Kim Possible here?" the man asked.

"I'm Kim Possible. How may I help you?"

"Delivery, for you."

Before Kim could react, the man had unloaded the package into her arms and walked away.

"B-but what is it?" Kim stammered. She peeled away some of the tissue paper, gasped audibly, and put her hand to her cheek. "Oh, Ron," she whispered, and shook her head. "Ron."

Ron stood up. "What? What is it?"

"You are just too sweet." She skipped over to him, and with her free arm, squeezed him tightly. "You are so goofy sometimes, but every once in a while you do the sweetest, most surprising things. That's why I love you."

"Uh, I'm really flattered, K.P., and I love you too, but I have to admit . . . I have no idea what you're talking about."

She peeled away the rest of the tissue, and gave Ron a knowing look. It was a bouquet of the most beautiful flowers she had ever seen. The arrangement was composed of three dozen yellow and white roses and hyacinths.

Ron's eyes grew wide when he saw the bouquet. "I . . . I really didn't send those."

Kim looked a little bit puzzled. "If you didn't, then who did?" She rolled her eyes, and sighed. "Junior!" She groaned. "Señor Senior Junior still has animology on his brain, and he still thinks I'm his perfect mate." She looked down. "Wait-what's this?"

A tiny envelope was tucked inside the bouquet. The envelope was addressed to her, but in a hand neither of them recognized.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I don't know."

She opened the envelope. Within it was a letter and a plastic card approximately the size of a credit card. "It's a Club Banana gift card . . . my own personal account. That's so nice, whoever sent it." She then read the amount on the card, and she nearly fainted. "R-Ron . . . look how much it's made out for!" she squealed.

Ron gasped. "You could buy a house in Upperton with this amount! Are those all zeros, or did they just type, 'Oooooh?'" He looked at Kim. "Who is it from? What does the letter say?"

Kim looked at the letter and smiled broadly. "It's from _Shego!_"

"So Shego's okay!" His face lit up. "Which means if Wade and G.J. can't track her, she isn't using any of her evil equipment anymore!" He giggled excitedly. "Hey-read the letter!"

She opened it up, and read:

_Kimmie- _

_Two broken ribs, a ruptured spleen, and a shattered tibia healing up fine, no thanks to you. _

_Lucky for me, I still had some decent Club Banana clothes on under my jumpsuit. After I ditched the jumpsuit, some local hick found me and rushed me to the hospital. Hospital cuisine for two full weeks. Yummy. _

_I figure you're still wearing the same old lame clothing, as always. You'd better use this card ASAP and get yourself some real clothes. Maybe you'll finally learn what the new black is before you graduate. And I'll be sure to drop you some tips from time to time. But not right away-I found Drakken and he's got big plans now, talking about running an inner-city soup kitchen and starting a dodge-ball club for kids. Hey, sounds good to me. _

_Oh, and I'm in contact again with my brothers. They're all idiots, but they still are, after all, my brothers. _

_Shego _

_P.S.: Loser! Next time I see you, I'm going to kick your butt again. Like I did in that helicopter._

Kim smiled and looked up from the letter. "Shego's strange way of saying she likes me."

"And she used her own money to pay for the card?"

"Naturally. It's going to be habit with her. And look, notice the flowers aren't Halloween colors? Or Shego colors, for that matter?" She gently lifted the flowers to her chest, and smiled broadly. "Yellow flowers, the color of friendship. White flowers, the color of peace. She's sincere with her gifts this time, Ron. I can sense it."

She led him to the loveseat, and they sat close together, looking out the picture window. She continued to hold the bouquet close to her as well.

Ron grinned. "Shego really does rock, doesn't she? Hey, maybe she really _is_ turning to the good side, this time for good?"

Kim closed her eyes, tenderly kissed the side of Ron's face, and cuddled up close to him. When he rested his head upon hers, she smiled contently, and they sat quietly before the window as nightfall approached. They could see the sunset had turned the sky a rosy pink, above the fiery red of the leaves of the maple trees.

"Could be, Ron. Could be."


End file.
